


breathin' (for noah kim)

by blackmagicforever



Series: LIVIN' TO FIND YOURSELF SERIES [1]
Category: Twilight Series - All Media Types
Genre: Don't copy to another site, Multi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-27
Updated: 2020-04-26
Packaged: 2021-02-28 01:53:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 41
Words: 21,176
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22915792
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/blackmagicforever/pseuds/blackmagicforever
Summary: in which a boy helps bella swan breathe on her own without edward cullen.↳❝ i'm damaged ❞↳❝ hi damaged, i'm noah ❞
Relationships: (Hinted One Sided) Jacob Black (Twilight)/Isabella | Bella Swan, Charlie Swan (Twilight) / Reneé Dwyer (Past) (Mentioned), Edward Cullen/Isabella | Bella Swan (Past), Isabella | Bella Swan (Twilight) / Original Male Character, Original Character(s) / Original Character(s), Riley Biers (Twilight) / Leah Clearwater (Twilight)
Series: LIVIN' TO FIND YOURSELF SERIES [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1647076
Comments: 16
Kudos: 40
Collections: BLACKMAGICFOREVER'S WORKS





	1. Introduction

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> -introduction-

**-** _introduction -_

  
  
  


**IT FELT AS IF THE SKY WAS FALLING, AND** she was underwater and her lungs burned when the waves crashed against her chest. Everything was blurry, she gasped and gasped. But no air met her lungs, no touch comforted her, because _Edward wasn't there_.

She felt her throat burn then, was she screaming? Bella hoped she was. Screaming. 

For who, she did not know. And then, she heard _his_ voice.

**"** _Breathe, Swan. Breathe._ **"**

She didn't know what it was. Clarity?

He held her. She hold on for dear life, it felt like it was her life on the line. 

**"** _Breathe, baby girl, for me. Please, Isabella. Don't leave me._ **"**

The clock struck, it was midnight.

_\- cast -_

**NOAH KIM**

**[** _jeon jungkook_ **]**

_"baby girl said what?"_

**ISABELLA MARIE SWAN**

**[** _kristen stewart_ **]**

_"shut up, kim."_

_\- special mention cast -_

billy burke as _charlie swan_

kim namjoon as _ramon kim_

kim seokjin as _jin kim_

min yoongi as _himself_

jung hoseok as _jay jung_

park jimin as _christian park_

kim taehyung as _vincent kim_

_\- the rest of the twilight cast as themselves -_


	2. Act One

**-** _act one_ **-**

_in which two worlds collide_

_\- act one -_


	3. Chapter One

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> chapter one: forks high school

**chapter one |** _forks high school_

The sky was covered in hues of grey and white, making the smoke rising from the boy's mouth go unnoticed as it blended with the clouds.

He had dark hair, the undercut he wore faintly showed the ink that traveled down the back of his throat underneath his clothes.

Doe-like, dark brown eyes gazed upwards, following the ghost of the smoke.

"Smoking is bad for you." She said. A pretty thing she was, with pale skin that Noah knew contrasted greatly against his maroon bed sheets.

"Good." Noah exhaled as he let the girl next to him take the blunt and inhale the toxic fumes. A pretty little hypocrite thing she was.

It was silent for a few seconds, the only noise was their exhales and the usual chatter of teenagers around them. The corner of the high school building hiding them.

"What are you doing here, Mallory?" He drawled out, staring at the students passing by.

Lauren Mallory turned sharply with the blunt between her soft looking lips. Her blonde hair fell like white gold and it contrasted drastically with her black jacket. Noah knew how soft and silky it was, how quickly it dirtied, how strong it held against his demanding hands.

His ripped, black jeans tightened around his left knee when he leaned on the wall with his leg bent as he waited for an answer.

"What, can't I hang out with my favourite boyfriend?" Was the annoying reply.

Noah's dark eyes narrowed at the glinting emerald gems that Mallory had for eyes. He plucked the blunt of her mouth and placed it between his lips. The hand that didn’t hold the cancer stick clenched into a fist.

"I'm not your boyfriend, Mallory." Noah sneered around the cancer stick, pushing himself off the wall. "We just fuck."

And wasn’t that the truth? Noah watched as Mallory plucked the cancer stick out of his mouth and crushed it with her heel.

“Fuck you, Kim.” She snarled. Noah watched with disinterested eyes as she bit back her tears.

Mallory was always prickly when it came to Noah rejecting her feelings about their arrangement.

He allowed her to leave first, they always do in the end.

The warning bell rang above his head, reminding him where he was.

“Fuck,” he groaned.

Plucking out his phone, he slipped on his earphones and scrolled through his music for a good song. He picked up his discarded jacket while leaving the hidden corner. Walking to his next class, Noah sighed as his tongue left him a bitter aftertaste. Pushing the building doors open, he disinterestedly watched as the teenagers of the student body scurried hurriedly to their next class.

_ Like ants, _ Noah thought,  _ crawling in a hurry. _

He reached his locker without worry, spinning the number password and grabbing his school bag the second it opened. Noah glanced at the school schedule he had stuck to the inside of the locker door. English for the next hour. Pushing himself away from the locker row, and closing his, Noah made his way down the halls.

Just as he reached the door of the assigned class, the teenage boy suddenly bumped into someone. Acting fast, he caught them by their shoulders before they fell. The books the other person was holding, fell to the floor.

"Watch where you're going." he muttered with a slight accent before moving away into English class, not sparing the person he bumped into a glance.

Noah barely noticed a petite girl watching him enter the room. He was more into the words drilled in his head with the bass to back them up.

Bella felt breathless, the day was getting worse and worse.

Waking up to another nightmare, not being able to sleep. Arguing with Charlie about staying in Forks. Seeing Edward in her mind but not through her eyes. She quickly raised her walls against the world and surrounded herself with the familiar words of literature.

The small petite brunette walked aimlessly through the halls of Forks' High School, her next class being English. A few months before, she would’ve been walking down with Jessica and Angela, or maybe Ed― Alice. Maybe.

She watched with vacant eyes as two people bumped into each other before one of them entered her next class.

Surprisingly, she didn't recognize him.

_ Must be because Edward was my whole world, because we were so into each other I didn't look around myself _ . She thought bitterly.

Bella noticed how no one reached out to help the student that dropped his books. A group of her classmates passed by, entering the room. Bella followed them inside. She quickly sat on her assigned seat, not wanting to draw attention.

"Good afternoon, class." The english professor, Mr. Mason, sighed. Tired lines ran freely through his face, and a few classmates knew that the class won't be as hard as others. "Today we start with the analysis between the two books we read last year."

Noah ignored how the old man droned about classics he already read. Reclining his head until it touched the wall, Noah watched from the far right corner how his classmates fluttered around.

Not paying attention, he didn't know what Mr. Mason was saying until he heard his name. Barely. Over the heavy music in his ears.

"Kim and Swan." Mr. Mason drawled on, reading from a paper. He was writing down the names in pairs on the blackboard.

_ What? _

His dark eyes scanned the room. Swan was the new girl that came a year ago. A few months before him, right?

Dark brown eyes met earthy brown, and Noah inhaled sharply. He knew that look, the emptiness, the muted color.

The Swan girl was not living, she was not even surviving, and Noah idly wondered how long would it take before she killed herself.

Moving to grab his two books and a pen, Noah moved to sit next to the empty shell that was once Bella Swan.

"Swan, is it? I'm Kim, Noah Kim." He allowed a childish grin to come out, trying to get a reaction from those haunting vacant eyes.

"Bella."

"Hm? What was that?" Noah peered at her, with no emotion to give him away.

"My name. It's Bella."

"Well, Bella." Noah sighed contentedly to himself as he sprawled himself on the wooden school chair, "I have no idea of what to do so, mind filling me in?"

Bella let her gaze trail over Noah's profile side. He screamed bad news. And was that the scent of tobacco?

"Smoking raises your chances of dying prematurely." She blurted out before she could contain herself.

Noah's eyebrows raised in surprise as he regarded the girl. "That's the goal, Miss. Swan."

"Shut up, Kim." Bella huffed, a ghost smile gracing her features after months of silent suffering.

"So, English?" He raised an eyebrow.

"Right,” Bella cleared her throat, “we have to choose an excerpt from each book, analyze them, and compare them."

“Do they have to hold the same themes or…” Noah trailed off, he looked around the class. “Hey! Ben! What are you doing for yours?”

Bella grew slightly alarmed as she watched Noah approach Ben and a girl named Katie. She ducked her head into the heavily annotated book in her hands and waited for Noah to return.

“I’m back,” Noah announced five minutes later, not that Bella timed it. “Ben said that it would be better if it held the same themes or parallelistic metaphor moments. Which one did you choose?”

Bella shrugged, “I liked the one at the end. The one where she mentions the miracle.”

“Fair,” Noah nodded, “I like that one the most as well. Though the one with the tree symbol is good too.”

“Yeah,” Bella nodded. She glanced down at Noah’s book, and was pleasantly surprised to see it as heavily annotated as hers.

“Ah,” Noah smiled small, sheepishly. “I just need a good grade on everything. This doesn’t mean I’m a nerd or anything.”

“Sure,” Bella said awkwardly.

The bell rang, and Noah raised his head from the book he was annotating. The large post it on the page filled with key words.

"Want to hang out after school and finish this?" Noah asked before he could let the girl go. "I can't meet up this weekend so..."

Bella scanned him with her eyes for a second before nodding, "Alright, Kim. After the last bell, outside in the front doors. Don't keep me waiting."

"Wouldn't dream of it." Noah said solemnly.

Bella shrugged at him, packing up and dashing away. She… Didn’t know how to feel. Bella bit her lower lip as she left the classroom, her eyes lit up in anticipation for the first time in months.

Noah watched as Bella left the room before standing up and going to his corner. Picking up his stuff without any rush, he had a free block next.

"So, Bella Swan?" Mallory's voice perked up behind him. His shoulders tensed slightly before relaxing.

Noah rolled his eyes.

"None of your business, Mallory." Noah replied without bothering to look at her.

“Well, you have something with me.” Mallory pointed out. Noah didn’t notice the way her hands shook slightly. “So, yes. It is my business.”

He looked up from his half opened bag.

She had her black jacket on one arm, her crimson red blouse accentuating her curves. The color made her blonde hair look more white than golden, it contrasted with her green eyes.

Noah sighed, zipping his bag close and slinging the bag’s strap over his shoulder.

“I told you before, Laur. We’re nothing. We just fuck. No strings attached.” He came to a stop when his shoulder lined against the girl's. “Understood?”

Mallory nodded jerkily.

Giving her his back, Noah walked out.

He sighed, running a hand through his hair. Maybe he should stop his arrangement with the girl. She was starting to get too close.


	4. Chapter Two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> chapter two: family

**chapter two:** _family_

The last bell rang and Bella sighed in relief as she walked out of Biology.

Too many memories.

She walked towards the front doors and to her surprise, there he was.

Noah Kim was reclined near the stairs, eyes closed and basking the cold air of november.

Bella stopped near the doors and watched him.

He was dressed with a simple white t-shirt, black jeans, black military boots, and a leather jacket. Bella noticed he had his ears pierced and wore silver rings.

_ Stylish _ . She thought.

* * *

"Kim?" an amused, deep voice made the boy open one of his eyes.

"Well, well, well, but if it isn't my favourite hyung." Noah smiled genuinely. Bella's eyes widened when he smiled, he looked like a bunny.

"Oh shut it, are you coming tonight?" Vincent shoved Noah's shoulder jokingly. "I came here to pick you up."

"Sorry, Vi hyung." Noah's smile dimmed a little, "I have an english project to finish, but I can make it this weekend!"

Vincent just raised an eyebrow before shrugging, "Whatever, kid."

"You're just a year older than me!"

"Still a kid!" Bella watched as the older male walked down the stairs as he laughed boisterously.

Deeming it safe to walk out, Bella took a deep breath before pushing the door open.

* * *

Noah shaked his head, his hyung was so weird.

He heard shuffling feet and turned his head, eyes meeting Bella.

"Ready to go?" Noah asked as he raised into a stand from his spot.

"Yeah." Bella shrugged.

"Sweet." Noah's eyes crinkled for a second. "So, we agreed where to meet up after the bell rang. But, not where to go _after._ "

"Oh." Bella's eyes widened in realization. "We could go to my house," she paused, "or yours?" she sounded timid.

"Yours sounds better," he chuckled, "I don't live alone, and my house is more like a bachelor house rather than a normal house." Noah shaked his head lightly at the thought of his hyungs.

"Your parents?" Bella's brows furrowed.

"Back in Korea." Noah sounded bitter for a second before his face smoothed out. "I live with my six best friends."

"Oh, cool." Bella offered awkwardly.

"Yeah." Noah sent her a half smile before turning to the stairs and gestured them. "Shall we?"

"We shall." Bella played along. She felt weird. Like she was betraying Edward. But Edward wasn't there.

"You go first, and I follow." Noah commented, "I came here with my bike."

_ Of course he's going to own a bike _ , Bella thought with a small unnoticeable snort. _ He's the epitome of the bad boy cliché _ .

* * *

Soon, they were reaching the Swan residence. And Bella watched nervously as Noah parked his bike right next to the passenger seat of her orange truck.

"Nice house." Noah commented offhandedly as they reunited once again in the porch.

"Thanks, I guess." the corner of her lips upturned softly. "Dad? I'm home!"

Charlie nearly jumped off the couch. And Bella's face fell, when was the last time she said that? A few days before her birthday? Now a days she only entered and muttered a soft hello, not a full shouting she was home.

Noah noticed this with his avid eyes and nudged her softly, "I'm here."

And he was. Bella noticed that Noah was there. Not Edward.

Something ached deep inside her.

"Bella?" Charlie emerged from the living room and noticed his daughter wasn't alone. "Oh, whose this?"

To say Charlie was shocked was an underestimation. He was half relieved, half worried. The boy looked like bad news, until said boy moved forward with a sheepish smile that changed his whole image.

"Hello, Mr. Swan." Noah outstretched his hand, "My name is Noah Kim."

Charlie shook it twice before pulling away, "Call me Charlie."

"Charlie," Noah tested, he shrugged. "Alright, Mr. Swan."

Bella looked between them and sighed. "Dad, we'll be in my room. We have an english project to do."

Charlie huffed surprised, she sounded like her old self for a second. "Alright, kids. Leave the door open."

"Dad!" Noah muffled a chuckle as he watched how Bella protested half heartedly.

"Don't worry, Mr. Swan." Noah commented while throwing the girl a smirk, "We'll behave, right Swan?"

"Shut up, Kim." Bella rolled her eyes as she stalked inside the house, "Are you coming? Or not?"

"Ah, see you later Mr. Swan." Noah shrugged playfully, "Your daughter is calling me."

Charlie watched as the two teenagers disappeared up the stairs and wondered how did Noah Kim managed to make his daughter act like she did once before Cullen. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hyung: an older brother figure, a korean formality to refer an older male figure (this is only for males, for females there's another term)


	5. Chapter Three

**chapter three:** _gigs_ _ & stuff _

Noah chuckled as Bella muttered to herself while they entered her room.

Bella then, realized that she had someone that wasn't her father in her room. And was grateful she had cleaned up as a method to get Edward out of her mind the night before.

* * *

"Your cooking is amazing, did I tell you that?" Bella munched on her dinner as she complimented Noah. They had finished the paper rather quickly, and Bella invited Noah to stay for dinner. In the end it was him who cooked for the two of them.

"I'm the only one, save Jin hyung, who knows how to cook in the house." Noah explained as he turned around with a flare, "Here, try this. It's a family recipe."

"Man, I suddenly love korean food." Bella groaned after gurgling down dish after dish.

"My cooking is that good, ain't it?" Noah smirked cheekily at the bloated brunette. "If you want, I could—" Noah's phone ringed. "Oh shit, sorry. This is important."

Bella just nodded weakly as she raised her hand to reach for her glass of water.

"No, I'm not. Yeah." Noah threw Bella a glance before muttering, "I'm busy, hyung."

"Maybe, who knows. I don't think I can make it tonight though." Bella peered curiously as Noah tried to dissuade whoever was yelling on the other side of the call. "I already told Vi hyung I'm in for the weekend!"

Then the voice on the other side softened, "Yeah," Noah smiled faintly, "She is. Love you too, hyung."

Bella's chest ached, _ she? What she? Who? _

"Sorry about that," Noah scratched his head as he sat down next to her, "My hyung was checking on me, seems like my cat is causing a tiny little bit of trouble."

Bella's eyes crinkled in mirth at Noah's wrinkling nose.

"What's this weekend?" she asked.

Noah stopped wrinkling his nose in a cute way and let his dark eyes land in Bella's soft ones.

"An underground concert." he said nonchalantly. "Y'know, a small gig and stuff. I was supposed to go live today but postponed it to this weekend."

Bella's eyes widened, and for the first time during her heart ache, they glintened. "A concert? You sing?"

"And dance, yeah." Noah shrugged, "I also postponed it because I smoked today, and it's bad for my lungs."

Bella frowned as she stared at the boy, "Why would you smoke then? If it affects your performance?"

Noah lazily let out a small laugh, "Because I'm addicted, Bella. I can't drop it without relapsing or getting hooked on something else."

Bella watched as pain flashed through Noah's eyes and impulsively grabbed his hand. "I'm addicted too."

Noah watched the girl with wary eyes, he had heard from Mallory about the Cullens' sudden departure. Most importantly now, how Edward broke Bella.

"You mean that Cullen dude?" Noah blurted out, gently grabbing her hand back. "Baby girl, he's not worth your tears if he walked out on you. You deserve better than him."

Bella's eyes unintentionally welled with tears at the mention of Edward. "He promised me we were soulmates."

Noah knew he would regret it later, but the only thing he couldn't stand was girls crying over men who do not deserve them.

"Then, get addicted to me." Noah blurted out before he stopped himself. Bella's tears started to fall, but the girl's eyes were widened. "Let's make a deal. You help me get over my addiction of smoking, and I help you get over him."

* * *

Bella laid that night in her bed, Noah's words echoing through her mind. And for the first time in weeks, she didn't have night terrors.

Noah cursed as he watched his hyungs perform on stage.

_ "Nevermind, I—" Noah stood up and ripped his hand away, "I'm gonna—, I'm leaving. See you around, Swan." _

_ Bella didn't even protest him leaving, shell shocked. _

"Why did she have to look at me that way?" Noah muttered to himself, not noticing the shared glances between his hyungs around him.


	6. Chapter Four

**chapter four:** _deals & addictions_

_ These violent delights have violent ends _ . Bella's eyes ate up the novel as she sat on top of her truck.

She was just finishing when the unmistakable sound of a bike rumbled near her. _ Noah _ , was her first thought.

Earthy brown eyes snapped up, but to the girl's dismay, there was no Noah around.

The wind picked up and from behind her, the scent of cigarettes and strawberry flavoured gum reached her. "Looking for me, baby girl?"

* * *

Noah smirked. He was dying inside, not that he let it show.

Bella turned around so fast she fell from her truck, making Noah catch her before she hurt herself.

"Clumsy girl." Noah grunted as he picked her up bridal style, "You okay?"

Bella just let a small gasp flow through her rosy lips when she was hoisted up in Noah's arms. Her soft eyes met his dark ones, and it felt like forever before Noah snapped out of his daze and settled her carefully on the truck again.

He was here, he didn't bail on her like Edward.

"No." Bella whispered, "I'm not okay."

Noah let his eyes draw back to her, like magnets, their eyes met again. "It's okay to not feel okay, Bella. What's not okay is to bottle it up."

* * *

He walked her up to her locker and her first class before disappearing into the teenage waves in the halls.

_ Edward used to do that _ , Bella thought.

During lunch, she completely avoided the cafeteria. Guessing where he would be thanks to all the cliches she used to read about bad boys, she thought of the back of the school.

"Baby girl? You over here?" Noah jumped down from his position on one of the blinded windows. "Hyung, this is Bella Swan."

Noah wrapped his arm around Bella's shoulders as he shot warning glares to the other teenagers with him.

"I think you already know Mallory and Crowley," Noah completely disregarded the blonde and the other boy as he directed Bella to his spot in the window, "But the other one is Vi hyung. He drops by to give me my lunch when I forget it at home."

"Vincent Kim." Vincent introduced himself while making a peace sign with his fingers. "High school graduate and aspiring artist."

Bella swallowed as she attempted a meek smile. "Nice to meet you."

Mallory scoffed, "I'm out." Crowley followed her, not before glancing at Noah's arm around the petite brunette.

Noah just glared at the blonde as he barked, "Mallory! Told you to lose my number, yet you always come back!"

"Fuck you, Kim!" she shouted back.

"Been there, done that honey! For your information, I've been with both better men and women than you!" he raged as he lifted Bella easily and settled her with care on the window.

Vincent just rolled his eyes at the teens before standing up. "I'm leaving." he announced before winking at Bella's flushed face. "Tell this big baby to call me later, yeah?"

Bella nodded. Why did she think coming to see Noah was a good idea?

It wasn't until she noticed how tense Noah's shoulders were under her clammy hands did she snap out of it.

"Noah." Bella called softly. Noah tensed before relaxing under her hands, and dark eyes met soft ones again. "Hey."

Noah half smiled and allowed his arms wind up around Bella's waist from his position. "Hey."

* * *

They walked to English class together when the bell rang. After sharing his lunch with Bella and force feed her the majority of the food, they fell into small talk despite the previous awkwardness.

"Sit with me?" Noah asked as they neared the door. "No one sits next to me."

Bella shrugged as she sipped on her water bottle, —Noah had bought one for each during lunch, and hid her growing smile as she hummed.

"Is that a yes?" Noah's eyes gazed at the girl next to him playfully. "Baby girl?"

But Bella just walked inside the room before Noah. It made the boy sigh in frustration before walking in himself. To his glee, she had chosen to sit by him.

* * *

"About the deal from yesterday," Bella suddenly blurted out, their other classmates were working on the paper they had finished the previous day. "I— I want to move on from— from him."

Noah eyes her before sighing, "Are you sure? We just met yesterday, I feel like it was stupid of me to suggest it."

Bella shrugged as she nodded in agreement, "Yeah, but I'm tired of waking up to my own screaming. Tired of waiting for someone that walked out on me." Bella scooted closer and whispered, "It's been two months, and I feel that, —if I don't start now, I'm going to be stuck. Forever."

Noah's chest ached, she reminded him so much of  _ him _ .

"Alright, Swan. You got yourself a deal." Noah grabbed her hand and shook it with a hint of a smile playing on his lips. "Let's get addicted to each other."

"Come over this weekend," Noah said. He let his arm stretch out behind Bella, resting on her chair. "I feel like you'll like it." 

"I just remembered, Vincent told me to tell you to call him later."

"I have free block after this, so I'll call him then."


	7. Chapter Five

**chapter five:** _wuthering heights_

"You have a copy of Pride and Prejudice?" Noah raised an eyebrow at Bella's question. They were at his house, in his room.

"You have one of Wuthering Heights and you don't see me rant about Heathcliff." Noah retorted, although there was no heat behind his words. "Personally, that character had so much potential to be something, and yet... he let his greed overcome his love for Catherine."

_ He let his greed overcome his love for Catherine _ , Noah's words echoed inside Bella's mind.

"Like Edward." she blurted before she could hold it in. "He left me even though he told me he loved me."

Noah stayed silent, this was the first time she talked so much about Cullen.

"And I know he felt the way he felt, because we were so different. But, wasn't his love enough to have some self-control?"

Noah's head snapped up fast, "Self-control?"

Bella's silent answer made the boy leave whatever he was doing and near her, "Did he ever lay a hand on you?"

The girl widened her eyes before shaking her head.  _ No _ , she wanted to say,  _ he's just a vampire who lusts for my blood _ .

And then, it hit her. He lusted over her blood, and yet claimed to love her.

"He just claimed to love me, and yet never even risked to kiss me." That made Noah even more confused. "Forget it." she mumbled.

* * *

"I'm home!" Bella called, "Noah's with me!"

But no one answered, then again, Charlie's car wasn't in the driveway.

"Well, this is where I leave you." Noah smiled, eyes crinkling. "Sleep well, baby girl."

He turned around to leave.

"Wait." Bella called.

Noah stopped and turned around, climbing the stairs again effortlessly. "Yeah?"

"Can you, uh, give me your number?"

Noah smiled bunny-like again and just dug out of his pocket his phone. "Sure."

"Text me when you get home, yeah?"

* * *

**noah**

_ i'm home _

**_sent: 20:12_ **

_ this is noah by the way _

**_sent: 20:12_ **

**_read: 20:13_ **

**baby girl**

_ hey _

**_sent: 20:14_ **

_ glad you arrived safe _

**_sent: 20:14_ **

* * *

Bella bit her lip as she re-read her Romeo and Juliet copy her mother gifted her for her thirteenth birthday.

_ And in their triumph die, like fire and powder.  _ Bella sighed.

Her phone buzzed. Immediately she dropped her book and leaned over her bed to reach the small device.

To her dismay it wasn't Noah, it was her mother.

"Hey, mom."

* * *

Noah bit his lip to muffle his laughs as he watched his hyungs.

His phone buzzed. Immediately he dropped his gaze from his hyungs towards his phone.

**blonde fuck**

_ my parents aren't home _

**_sent: 21:09_ **

**bf #4**

_ told you to lose my phone, mallory. _

**_sent: 21:09_ **

**blonde fuck**

_ oh c'mon, noah _

**_message undelivered._ **

_ you blocked me? _

**_message undelivered._ **

Noah groaned as he locked his phone.

* * *

Bella was there again. Back in the meadow. Strangely, the meadow wasn't as beautiful or as breathtaking as she once pictured.

"Baby girl?"

Bella spun around. There he was, Noah. Bella smiled.

"Noah."

Then, she woke up.

* * *

**noah**

_ mornin' _

**_sent: 07:13_ **

_ just woke up, hope you slept well _

**_sent: 07:13_ **


	8. Chapter Six

**chapter six:** _night terrors_

Bella choked down the urge to cry. The alarm clock beside her radiated four numbers separated by two dots, the blazing red hue making her already sensitive eyes squint through the tears.

It was four in the morning. And Bella knew she wouldn't be able to go back to sleep.

Acting before thinking, she already had her phone in hand and calling.

"...baby girl?" Noah's voice flowed through the speaker. "It's, four in the morning. What happened? Are you alright?"

Bella stayed silent, but her tears didn't stop. And all she could do is open her mouth, but n words came out.

* * *

Noah could hear her breathing, it was ragged. And, was that soft sniffles?

"Baby girl, where are you? I'm coming." Noah stood up from his seat as he nudged one of his hyungs.

"Ho—home." her voice was soft, but breathless.

"Alright, Bella. Focus on my voice, my voice okay?" Noah gestured his phone and mouthed 'Bella'. His hyung nodded, warily watching as Noah walked out of the pub they usually do gigs and stuff. "Breathe, Bella. Inhale, count to three, and exhale. Can you do that for me?"

"N—Noah?" Noah nearly cursed at the state of her voice, "I can't."

"Yes you can, baby girl." Noah's assertive tone made Bella curl into a ball while holding the phone to her ear. "I'm coming for you, wait for me."

"N—no, don't. Don't hang up." Bella pleaded.

Noah took his phone away from his mouth and cursed before putting it near his ear again.

"Baby girl, I can't drive without my two hands. I'll be there soon." Noah unlocked his bike as he talked. "Breathe, for me? Until I get there, then I'll breathe for the both of us."

"Fo—for us?"

"Yeah, Bella. We'll breathe together."

* * *

Noah was sure he broke a few laws with his reckless driving, but no one died and there was no accidents. So, why worry?

He reached the Swan residence and called Bella.

"I'm here, open the door."

* * *

The minute they saw each other face to face, Noah had tugged her close into a hug before picking her up and closing the door behind him as he entered the house.

"Let's get you some water, yeah?"

After calming Bella down and getting her to drink water, Noah tug her in bed.

"Wait, don't. Don't leave." Bella croaked.

Noah freezed before relaxing. "I'll stay until you go to sleep again, okay?"

_ Thank god yesterday was friday and today we don't have school _ . He thought as he scooted over in bed, with Bella clinging to his hand.

"I thought he loved me." Bella started after a few minutes of comfortable silence. Noah's hand flexed underneath her touch but she ignored it. "The first time we actually talked, he told me that we shouldn't be friends. And yet. Here I am.

"He told me I was his forever. And that he will do anything in his power to keep me safe and to never let anything hurt me." Bella scoffed lightly as Noah knocked his shoulder with hers. "The irony."

Noah let her talk, he listened. "And then, I discovered what he was. What his family was."

Bella bit her lip, was it okay to tell Noah? To put him in danger?

* * *

Noah froze.  _ What he was? _ Images of  _ him _ flashed through his mind.

"The Cullens are vampires."

Noah exhaled, "Vampires, huh?"

Bella grew scared, was he going to call her crazy?

"I met one two years before coming here," Noah's eyes fell towards their joined hands. "He was, well, my addiction to put it simple."

Bella nodded, "Yeah, everything about Ed—Edward made me addicted as well."

"He, he was hunting when he saw a few men trying to gang rape me." Noah inhaled, "Around that time, I was only fourteen.

"He saved me." Noah tried to smile. "He told me that I deserved a better life. That was before meeting my hyungs."

Bella cuddled closer, "It's okay, I'm here."

"Yeah, you are." Noah smiled. "He was the reason why I started singing and writing. I met my hyungs through him as well."

Bella peered closer, "Your hyungs know about,  _ them _ ?"

"Yeah, Ramon hyung was once a vampire. Jin hyung is a witch." Noah smiled at the awestruck face Bella wore, "Jay hyung, he's a druid. As well as Christian hyung. Yoongi hyung, well, he's a shapeshifter. He's a cat."

The two teenagers giggled.

"Vi hyung, he's like me. But, well, he and Jacob hyung are together." Noah shrugged.

Bella wondered, "You said Ramon was once a vampire?"

"Mmhmm, Jin hyung managed to turn him back. Although he's not fully human, he can walk under the sun without glittering like a diamond ring."

That night, they opened more to each other and slowly learned about each other.


	9. Chapter Seven

**chapter seven:** _nervous_

"Don't worry, they'll like you." Noah couldn't help but smile at Bella, "Remember, I'm here."

Bella just nodded, "I'm, nervous."

Noah blinked, and grasped Bella's hand. She squeezed it, and he squeezed it back.

"I'm here."

Bella nodded again.

"Breathe, baby girl."

So Bella breathed.

"No, I can't." Bella stopped walking, "I'm sorry, but I— I can't."

Noah frowned lightly as he stopped walking as well.

"Hey, hey. It's okay." Noah whispered slowly, "Look at me, baby girl. It's okay, we can do it some other day or never if you don't want to."

Bella's anxiety skyrocketed. So it wasn't a surprise to Noah when tears started to build up. He just brought her into a hug.

"Hey, shhh." Noah rocked them back and forth, still in a hug. "I'm here, Bella. It's okay. We'll be okay."

"I—I'm sorry."

"Don't say sorry, it's okay."

"Okay, I'm sorry." Bella apologized again.

"Baby girl." Noah muffled a giggle, "You apologized again."

"Sorry," Bella muttered, "Oh, no."

Noah bursted into a fit of giggles, and Bella just scrunched up her nose as she let Noah wipe her tears away.

"Noah!" she protested as she sniffed the tears away. "It's not funny!"

"Aw baby," Noah cooed with a light smile, "Don't worry, I'm here."

"Until you're not." Bella sighed. Noah frowned.

"I'll be here, Bella." Noah said firmly, "Until you tell me to go, I'll stay." he vowed.

Bella blinked. "My full name is Isabella." she blurted out randomly.

"Isabella," Noah breathed. "Like the queens?"

Bella scrunched her nose again. "Yeah."

"Well then, Your Majesty." Noah shrugged, "Let's get you some water. You cry baby." he teased.

Bella just swatted his arm. They turned around and entered Bella's house. 

* * *

"I'm nervous." Noah whined, "Why did you make me do this?"

Vincent just watched amused as his dongsaeng ran around the pub, cleaning everything.

"You wanted to have that girl of yours meet us." Vincent pointed out. "Don't see why you can't clean up for once in your life."

"But this isn't my pub, anyways!" Noah whined as he balanced a few chairs to their respective spots.

"You participate in the show, you work here." Ramon suddenly popped up and started listing reasons. "You practically sleep here some weekends, yeah. Those are reasons enough."

"Ramon hyung!" Noah whined. But the rest of their family of seven just laughed at the younger's misfortune.

"Noah, we need another pair of hands in the kitchen!" Jin shouted from inside.

"Going, hyung!"

"That girl must be special if he overreacts like this." Ramon hummed, pushing his glasses up. Vincent just gave his hyung a glance and shrugged. "He's in love, let him run around."

"She's coming for tonight's, isn't she?" Vincent piped up.

"I don't know how's that going to go, honestly." Vincent watched as Ramon sighed. "Doesn't she have anxiety?"

"Hope that Noah knows what he's doing."

"He says that he'll be here."

* * *

Bella hummed to herself as she wrote. Writing had become an outlet whenever she couldn't sleep. She used to have a passion for literature before all the Cullens' fiasco. Now that they were gone, Bella assumed it was better to gain some sense of normality. Doing the things she used to do.

Her phone buzzed. It was Noah.

"Hey." Bella bit her lip, "How are you feeling, baby girl?"

* * *

Noah smiled as he heard Bella sigh, "Fine, I guess."

"That's a lie, and you know it." Noah rolled his eyes, "But I'll let it slide today, are you still up for tonight?"

Bella's eyebrows furrowed, tonight?

At Bella's silence, Noah sighed. "You forgot, didn't you?"

Bella felt her cheeks burn red as she hummed in confirmation.

"It's okay, you don't have to come tonight." Noah reassured her. "I could always have one of my hyungs record it for you."

Bella sighed, "What is exactly tonight?"

"A concert of some sort. There's singing, rapping, and dancing." Noah rattled as he talked excitedly. "The pub fills in and it really feels like a concert."

"Crowded places?" Bella chuckled nervously, "I don't think it's a good idea for me."

Noah remained silent for a few seconds. "You could always be on stage with us, just not on the spotlight."

"On stage?" Bella squeaked.

"Yeah, on stage."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> dongsaeng: like- little brother i guess.


	10. Chapter Eight

**chapter eight:** _underground concerts_

The loud bass music rattled Bella's heart to the rhythm. She felt it. The magnetic pull that music brought out of you.

It wasn't her type of music. This one was harsh, loud, it demanded attention. Bella watched from the backstage how three figures spit fire into their microphones as the crowd below them went wild.

Noah rapped with ease next to Bella, the words flowing with rapid ease into her ears. And the teenage girl could only flush pink as she heard perfectly Noah's words being repeated at the same time through the speakers.

The performers were Ramon, Yoongi, and Jay. Noah had presented them briefly before their turn to perform snatched them away.

As the song started to end, Noah stepped away for a second. "I have to prepare, I'm up next!"

Bella just nodded, she was a big girl. She could handle herself, and she was safe from the crowd backstage.

It was two minutes later when he returned.

"Here, put this on!" Noah came back with a smile, he had two rings on his hand. Bella recognized them as the same ones Noah usually wore and the same ones his other brothers wore as well.

Bella let him take her right hand and place them. One in her thumb and another in her middle finger, unsurprisingly, they shrunk to fit her finger. Bella hypothesized they were enchanted.

"To keep you safe!" Noah winked, "I'll be on stage for half an hour and those rings will tell anyone up here to back off."

"Noah!" Vincent called, "C'mon!"

"Going, hyung!" Noah shouted back, Bella noticed he wore some stage makeup and leather pants that made her knees weak. "Stay here yeah? And keep your eyes on me."

Bella half smiled. She noticed Noah tried to keep her mind off Edward, and that he cared for her. Not romantically, at least, not yet.

* * *

Noah felt her eyes as he stepped on stage. He let his hyungs clap his back before going into position. And then, the music started to thrum through his body and his vocal chords created melodies to the sound of music.

* * *

Bella felt breathless, but this time it wasn't because of Edward.

"Good job, today!" Ramon thanked the staff as he bowed down, his korean heritage showing. "Thank you so much!"

Vincent and Jay rolled their eyes as Yoongi and Christian muffled their laughter.

Bella watched everything without any heartache. She felt at peace. At least for a few minutes, seconds, and she was learning on how to savour every moment.

"Ready to go home?" Noah piped up, she hadn't noticed him coming back with his usual clothes.

"Yeah." Bella smiled contently.

They bid the rest goodbye as they left the pub, and Bella noticed how late it was right after walking out.

"Oh my God." Bella widened her eyes, "It's nearly five in the morning."

Noah chuckled as he rubbed his nape sheepishly, "Yeah, sorry about that. But you enjoyed last night, didn't you?"

Bella rolled her eyes, "Sure thing, but tomorrow. No, _today_ I will not be able to do anything except sleep."

"Baby girl, we die everyday to see the sun rise the next." Noah shrugged innocently, and sure enough the sky wasn't so dark, it was a startling dark violet coming from the horizon in the east.

"While we ride to your house, you'll be seeing the sun rise." Noah smiled at Bella, "They're very pretty."

Bella just smiled back. And sure enough, as they went back to Forks from Port Angeles, the sun was rising, painting the sky with violet, pink, and soft orange hues.

Noah watched from the bike's mirror the awed face of Bella underneath her helmet and decided to stop for a second.

"What are you doing?" Bella asked, "Why are we stopping?"

"I'm taking a photo of you and our first sunrise." Noah shrugged, "You look beautiful, Isabella."

_Click!_


	11. Chapter Nine

**chapter nine:** _magic rings_

It was Monday. A day after dropping Bella home to get well deserved sleep.

Needless to say, Bella did enjoy her day sleeping and watching reruns of some show that was airing on TV. Also, Noah did drop by after ten hours, after lunch. He had made sure she was well rested before telling her he would be picking her up tomorrow.

Now tomorrow was today, and Bella had thrown on some dark jeans, a white shirt and a denim jacket with fur inside.

Then she had made sure her hair was nice and her face was wiped of morning drool and healthy looking.

Charlie watched as his daughter bustled through the kitchen in the morning, preparing breakfast. When was the last time he watched her prepare breakfast?

The bell rang fifteen minutes later, just in time when Bella had finished her breakfast.

"Bye Dad, take care. Love you!" Bella called as she picked up her school bag and opened the front door.

* * *

"Our minds must be connected, Isabella." Noah bunny smiled when the door opened, "Because we're matching."

Bella just huffed a small chuckle, "Sure."

"Slept well?" Noah asked.

"Perfectly." Bella beamed.

"Good." Noah's eyes crinkled as they walked towards his bike, "Here, put this on."

He gave her the same helmet she used. After making sure she had it on, he put his on and lift her up, putting her on the bike effortlessly.

They reached to school under ten minutes, Bella's truck would've taken fifteen.

Them coming to school together did not went unnoticed. Jessica Stanley, along with Mallory, dropped her jaw open while Angela Webber only smiled.

Everyone turned to look at them, but Noah was more preoccupied on Bella.

"Don't fall, clumsy." he teased as he helped her get down. Bella just glared at him half heartedly.

"Shut it, Kim." she rolled her eyes. Bella noticed she was feeling way better whenever she was with Noah, and that scared her to be honest.

"C'mon, what did you have for first period again?"

"Government." Bella sighed, "See you during lunch?"

"What do you have before lunch?"

"Uh, Spanish. Why?"

"I'll pick you up." Noah shrugged, "Let's get you to government."

Bella just stared at him open mouthed as he dragged her to her locker first.

"See you soon, baby girl." he winked before seeing her off in the government classroom. Then, he didn't hesitate to sprint to his locker and rush to the Art room.

The bell rang above his head while he made it just in time.

* * *

As promised, when the bell rang, Bella looked at the window next to the classroom door, Noah was there. His dark denim jacket contrasting greatly with his pale skin.

Her hand stinged for as second, making her look down. It was the two rings Noah gave her, the glinted.

"Hey, Bella." the unmistakeable voice of Jessica Standley vibrated though her ears. Bella inwardly flinched.

Noah must've received the same stinging because he had turned around immediately and let his gaze burn craters through Stanley's muted brown hair.

"Hey." she answered politely. Bella connected her gaze with Noah's, and the boy took it as his cue to enter the classroom.

"Baby girl," Noah called from the door. "Stanley." he greeted flatly.

Bella sighed in relief and picked her bag and her notebook. She quickly made her way next to Noah, and he slung an arm around her shoulders as he glared at Stanley."Let's go."

* * *

"Was she bothering you?" Noah questioned softly as they made their way to their spot, behind the school building.

"N—no." Bella answered softly, "But my ring stinged?"

Noah exhaled, "Yeah, they do that whenever they feel you're in danger."

Bella peered at the two rings on her hand more curiously.

"Yours are connected to mine." Noah explained with a cheeky smile, "With this one." he raised his right hand and showed her his ring finger. "The one connecting me to my hyungs is on my left one."

"Oh?" Bella's eyes widened in curiosity.

"Yeah, Jin hyung and Jay hyung teamed up and created them. They have a fusion of druid and witch magic." Noah shrugged, "Magic rings."

Bella just stared in wonder.

"They also have healing properties," Noah unslung his arm around Bella's shoulder to lift her up onto the window. "I think that's why your sleep is undisturbed."

"Remind me to thank your hyungs." Bella smiled gently.

"Sure." Noah shrugged. "I won't be able to call you tonight, I have practice with the boys."

Bella tensed slightly before relaxing. "Oh."

"Don't look so down, pretty." Noah knocked his leg with hers, "I'll try and send you a text whenever I can. Yeah?"

Bella flushed a pretty pink and Noah felt his chest squeeze. "So needy." he whispered.

"Is it, a bad thing?" Bella hesitated.

"No, no." Noah dismissed the dark thought away, "As a possessive person I'm living."

"You're possessive over me?" Bella raised an eyebrow.

Noah shrugged, "I could be, but I don't think we're ready for that type of relationship."


	12. Chapter Ten

**chapter ten:** _needy_

Bella woke up with a gasp. Her rings were burning up, but it brought her comfort.

Her phone started buzzing not even a second later, and something deep inside her told her to pick it up. It was Noah.

"Breathe, baby girl." was the first thing she heard after she picked it up. "I'm coming over. Just keep breathing like the exercises Jin and Jacob hyung showed you." 

"N—Noah." she whined.

"I'm coming, baby girl. Breathe, for me." he soothed as well as he could as he rushed downstairs in only his sweat pants and a flimsy t-shirt. He also took one of his hyung's coats before opening the door and rushing to his bike. "I'll be there in no time."

He hanged up and climbed on the bike as he pulled on his helmet.

Four minutes later he was nearly on the Swan's driveway.

* * *

**noah**

_ i'm here _

**_sent: 03:43_ **

* * *

Bella watched as Noah prepared her a cup of tea at nearly four in the morning.

"Why?" she broke the silence. "Why are you helping me?"

"You remind me of someone I loved." Noah confessed quietly, "He's dead."

Bella felt something tug her heart. "Oh."

"This is not pity, Isabella." he turned around and practically forced her to look in his eyes with the intensity he was staring her. "I do care about you. But I can't stand seeing someone going through the hell  _ he _ went through."

"Okay?"

Bella nodded after a pause, "Okay." she whispered back.

* * *

A few minutes later, they were in the porch sipping on their calming tea. "His name was Jeonguk." 

Bella raised her head slowly to look at Noah.

"He was the reason why I'm here, if it wasn't for him." Noah inhaled sharply, "I don't know where I'd be."

Bella rested her head on his shoulder, and the two of them entered in a comfortable silence.

"I used to—" Noah breathed heavily, letting Bella grab his hand in comfort, "Hate myself."

Bella tensed softly, hate himself?

"You won't probably see them, since they're not in the open." Noah continued in a soft whisper, "But I used to cut myself. In the thighs."

Bella just stayed silent as her grip on his hand tightened.

"He went ballistic when he found out." Noah chuckled humorlessly. "And sometime around the line, he started blaming himself.

"It started small, but he couldn't handle me self-destructing." Noah sighed, "In the end he ended up self-destructing himself. And my presence didn't even help his dark thoughts away."

It was silent for a while.

"He threw himself into a pit of fire, and was so far in his head he didn't even notice me seeing how vacant his eyes were." Noah shifted to connect his eyes with Bella's. "Your eyes remind me of him."

Bella shuddered.

"I don't want you to fade, Isabella Swan." Noah gulped, "I care too much about you to see you end up like him.

"Please, don't leave me." his voice broke. "I won't be able to handle it."

Bella pulled him into a hug for a change, and Noah let her wrap her arms around him.

It was their second sun rise that they watched, but the first time their hearts started to beat together.


	13. End of Act One

_\- end of act one -_

_ in which two worlds collided _

_\- end of part one -_


	14. Interlude

**interlude:** _edward_

  
  


The teenage vampire boy exhaled unnecessarily as he breathed the Brazil air tinged with human sweat and loud thoughts.

_ I wonder _ , Edward thought,  _ what is Bella doing now _ .

He really hoped she was happy.

His phone buzzed.

_ Alice _ . He thought with a frown.

"Edward." Alice panicked tone made him speed away from the human eye. "It's Victoria. She's planning something against Bella, and us."

* * *

Bella sighed, "Noah!"

"Yeah, baby girl?"

"Where did you put my copy of Wuthering Heights?" Bella asked as she rummaged around her book stand.

"On the desk, in the study, why?" Noah walked out of the kitchen into the living room where Bella was.

They were in Bella's house.

"I need it for Mr. Mason's final paper."

"Shit, when was it due?" Noah panicked.

Seeing him becoming visibly distraught, Bella sent him an unamused stare.

She sighed. "Tomorrow, before class starts."

"Gotta go, need a paper to finish." Noah pecked her cheek, "Call you later. Yeah?"

"Okay." Bella muttered softly. "Are we still on for tonight?"

"Of course," Noah didn't hesitate, "I need my baby girl cheering me on while I pour my blood, sweat, and tears onstage."

"Go, you dork." Bella heard Noah whine at the teasing, "Later on, let's compare our papers."

"Aye," Noah saluted, "Baby girl."

"Go." Bella urged him while rolling her eyes. "Text me when you get home, alright?"

"Anything for you, Bella."


	15. Act Two

_\- act two -_

_ in which they break to mend each other _

_ \- act two - _


	16. Chapter Eleven

**chapter eleven:** _movie night_

Bella giggled as she watched Noah and Vincent horse around, Jin and Christian frowning in displeasure at them, and Jay, Yoongi, and Ramon acting as they didn't know them.

"Cut it out," Jin called them, "Or else they'll kick us out!"

Noah raised his eyes and settled them on a laughing Bella, and smiled unconsciously. Giving his hyung one last teasing punch, he easily maneuvered out of his grip and walked towards Bella.

"Enjoying the show?" he teased her with shining eyes. Bella nodded with a small grin.

"Yah!" Jin broke their moment, "Let's get to our seats, you love sick fools."

Bella flushed a pretty shade of red as Noah rolled his eyes, gripping each other's hand. "Yeah, yeah. Hyung."

"Sit by me?" he asked Bella gently. "It's one of those cheesy movies Jin hyung wanted to see ever since the trailer aired on TV."

"You mean, Spiderman?" Amusement laced Bella's flushed face.

"Hey! Don't hate on it!" Jin protested as he hoarded the rest of the group towards the designated room.

"He acts more motherly than my own mother sometimes." Noah muttered under his breath towards Bella. She muffled a laugh.

* * *

They ended up sitting together, with Vincent hyung on Noah's other side and Jin hyung in Bella's.

The male witch had taken Bella under his metaphorical wing and saw her as a small fragile little sister he wished to protect. "So, how's your sleep schedule going?"

Bella muffled a laugh as Noah rolled his eyes from her other side. "Hyung, shut up. The movie is about to start."

Jin opened his mouth to protest teasingly when the lights did turn off and the big screen showed the cinema's logo.

"We'll talk later."

* * *

Sometime around the first hour, Noah had his arm around Bella. And during the last hour, they were practically cocooned into each other's arms.

"Disgustingly cute, the lot of you." Yoongi gruffed as he swiped at Noah's head fondly. "It's over, let's go home."

Noah opened his mouth to protest as he raised his free hand to touch the back of his head when Bella pressed half of her face on his exposed neck and giggled.

"Disgusting." Yoongi gruffed again as he childishly covered his eyes.

"They're not even dating, yet. And they act more in love than us two." Jay mused to Vincent as they watched how Noah gave Bella a piggy back ride while going in circles.

"When is he going to ask her?" Ramon whispered to Jin.

"He's waiting until she's stable enough for another relationship."

Noah hollered as Bella pressed herself more on his back while whining, "Noah!"

Bubbles of laughter spilled over her as Noah roared mockingly.

"Yeah, baby girl?" he stopped to catch his breath while hoisting Bella up. "What does Jin hyung feed you?"

"Yah!"

The two teens giggled as Noah walked back to the group with Bella on top of him.

"Let's go, and get dinner." Ramon offered.

"Isabella and I have to finish our English paper." Noah excused them, Bella nodded in confirmation. "But, we'll see you later?"

"They're starting to make plans as a package deal." Vincent whispered to Christian. "They can't get more married as they are."

Bella flushed red again, hearing them perfectly. But, all that Noah did was to shrug, and nod. "Yeah, but until baby girl gives me the green light to take her on a proper date. I'm afraid I won't be able to marry her until then."

Bella squeaked as the other seven boys laughed.

"Shut up, Kim." she let herself grin into the nape of his neck.

Noah smiled genuinely as he felt the small grin against his skin. "Your wish, my command. Your Majesty."

* * *

Later on, the two teens found themselves in Bella's living room while discussing thesis statements. That's how Charlie found them.

Charlie felt something in his belly, a gut feeling. He was first wary of the boy, since Edward. But now, all he could see was his little girl returning to her old self thanks to him.

"Hey, kids." he announced his presence quietly.

"Mr. Swan!" Noah greeted him with a smile, "Your daughter is a genius when it comes to literature, did I tell you that before?"

Charlie watched with amusement as his daughter sputtered nonsense at Noah. "Noah!" she whined.

"But it's true, Isabella." Noah shrugged.

"Whatever," she sighed defeatedly, "Hey, Dad."

They ended up having dinner together. Bella, Charlie, and Noah. But, that was a normal occurrence ever since Noah entered their lives last November. It was now February.

"Dad," Bella spoke. "Noah and I are going to hang out with a few friends later on, can I go?"

Charlie sighed internally, his little girl wasn't so little anymore. "You already go with him every other night, and you still ask me?" he humored her, "But yes, you may."

Bella smiled genuinely. The panic attacks and the feeling of drowning was slowly leaving her ever since she met Noah, and Charlie was grateful for him.

Suddenly, their rings glinted. The two teens shared an uneasy look but tried to act it off.

"Shall we get going, Your Majesty?" Noah mocked with a slight bow. Bella caught on easily and stood up, playing along.

"If we must." she held back a laugh, "Bye, Dad. Don't stay up too late."

"You too, stay safe kids."

The minute they were out of the dining room, Noah quickly got his phone out and started to call Jin while Bella started to clean up their papers and books.

"You felt it, didn't you?" Noah muttered softly into the phone as he watched Bella. "I was thinking of having Bella within our wards until whatever the danger is, is dealt with."

Bella looked at Noah and nodded once at him, giving him her permission.

"Bella's in." Noah relayed the information, "Baby girl, go pack light."

Bella dashed to her room with her ring glinting. Then, it started to burn when she started to ascend up to her room and stopped midway up in the stairs. Noah was immediately next to her and practically dragged her the opposite way, he had his phone near his ear as well.

"They're inside the house." he muttered, "Bella, get your father out the house. The boys are coming."

Bella wavered, with the slight hint of tears collecting in her eyes. Their rings glinted, bringing them back to Earth.

"Oh, I already thought you guys left!" Charlie walked in, oblivious to the danger.

"Uh, yeah. Mr. Swan." Noah quickly recollected himself, "But my friends suddenly texted me, they'll be a few minutes late and we thought of finishing off our english papers."

Charlie hummed, "Well, good luck acing that paper! I'll be in the police station if you need me, Bella."

Noah gripped Bella's left hand, which finger's now held two other rings connecting her to the other six boys she considered family.

"Yeah, Dad." she managed a stable voice.

The two of them scurried upstairs, out of sight but nowhere near Bella's room.

They waited with bated breaths until Charlie's car turned on and left.

Then they rushed down stairs. Not even seconds later, Jin, Jay, and Christian appeared.

"Upstairs." Noah immediately informed.

Jin didn't bat an eyelash as he stalked upstairs, fingers flicking with dark magic. Christian placed his hand on Bella's forehead, purifying her from her dark feelings and thoughts.

"Thank you." she whispered.

"Baby girl, let's go." Noah grabbed her hand gently, "Jin and Jay hyung are taking care of this, you'll be safer within our wards. Unless you want to check your room after Jay and Jin are finished?"

"There's no one here!" Jin called from upstairs. "But, there was someone!"

Bella exhaled with tears in her eyes and Christian didn't hesitate in placing his healing hand on her forearm.

That was one of the reasons why Bella was getting better, because the other six of their small group healed her in the most rapid way they could without disrupting her inner balance. With her permission of course.

She had asked them after she had done her research in druids and witches.

Christian had his hand on Bella's forearm as the three of them ascended up the stairs into her room.

The room was untouched, save the opened window. But what Noah noticed immediately was the photo album, it was a small change, but he swore the album wasn't as thick as it was a few hours ago.

"Jin hyung." he called with his eyes fixed on the album. Jin followed his line of sight and swished his hand.

"Vampire." he snarled, Bella had never seen the four boys in her room so angry.

"Open it." she suddenly spoke.  _ I want to know why _ , was the unspoken words.

Bella expected the album to be as blank as Edward had left it four months ago when he swore he would disappear from her life. But to her horror, and Christian immediately dispelled it as much as he could, the album showed Edward's photos. Of him, of her. Of them.

She fainted.


	17. Chapter Twelve

**chapter twelve:** _jacksonville?_

Noah clenched his jaw. It has been two hellish days since the discovery of the album, and one day since the Cullens' returned.

He was leaning on the wall, rings glinting as his head echoed Bella's screams from the night before.

The door opened, and out of it came Jin and Jay.

"How is she?" Noah whispered, eyes gazing at nothing. The ring that connected him to Bella, and Bella only glinted when the other half's ring felt like she was in danger.

"Sleeping," Jin sighed, "I had to induce her to sleep."

"She'll have a dreamless one while Christian works on her." Jay said tiredly. "He's still in there, healing her mind."

"I want to know why are they here." Noah growled softly, "She was doing great, and now. Now she's as broken as Jeo—" Noah choked up. "A—as J—Jeonguk."

Jay hyung sat down and brought him into a hug, discreetly healing him emotionally. 

Jin sighed, frustrated. "I don't know, but if she continues to breakdown like last night..."

Noah raised his eyes slightly, staring pleadingly at the door that kept him away from Bella.

"We need to get her out of here, far away from  _ them _ ." Jin gritted his teeth, "That's my little sister they're messing with."

"I'll talk to Mr.Swan." Noah stood up from the floor, his pain of leaving Bella for a few hours present in his eyes. "Will you, uh—" he gestured towards the closed door. "Call me if she,  _ when she _ , wakes up?"

"Don't worry, lover boy." Jin smiled tersely, "I'll look after her in your absence."

Noah nodded, "Thank you so much, hyungs. I love you guys."

The male witch and the druid just shooed him away.

* * *

Watching his retreating back disappear down the corner, Jin sighed. "How grave is it?"

"Bella is surprisingly attached to the Cullens," Jay murmured, "and that takes a toll on her healing process."

"She still hasn't accepted whatever happened four months ago, did she?"

"No," Jay lamented, "but what worries me more is Noah, and how's he going to take the news."

"Bella's going to break him, isn't she?" Jin spoke quietly.

"I'm afraid so, hyung." Jay sighed, "Let's go inside again, Christian is calling us."

"Such a shame, I really like it here." Jin sighed, "At least Noah's graduation is near."

* * *

Bella gasped as she woke up. Chest heaving upwards, eyes widened, and hands touching the mattress below her in a failed attempt to ground herself.

The skin contact fully against the silk sheets made her teary eyes tore themselves from the ceiling to her hands. Her rings were gone.

"W—what?" she whispered. Then, her head was bombarded with the memories from the past two days and nights while she was half catatonic half under induced sleep.

She was in the Kim's residence, specifically in Noah's room. After fainting, everything was a blur. But what Bella did remember was the anxiety, the panic, the world spinning and her being unable to breathe. She remembered how Jacob and Christian held her down while Jin chanted something, and then it was all black.

They forced her to sleep. Bella was half mortified, half grateful. Mortified because, well, was she so deep in her head that they had to force her to sleep?  _ My god, Noah _ .

Was Noah alright? Did he, how did he cope with her relapsing?

The door opened gently, and in came Ramon and Vincent.

"Bella," the soft previous vampire sighed, "you're awake. Vincent, call Noah and Jin."

The aforementioned nodded before slipping out of the room.

"Tell me, how are you feeling?" Ramon questioned her with kindness, "Are you hungry?"

"Wh—where's Noah?" Bella's mouth ran dry. "Is he, is he alright?"

Ramon noticed how her fingers twitched, and immediately connected the dots. Jin was right, Noah and Bella had forged a bond. But the longer they strengthen the bond, the more they will hurt.

"Honestly?" Ramon ripped the bandaid off without any filter, "He's a mess right now." he put it bluntly. "Jin is worried he's going to relapse and that his past depression is going to come back with full force."

Bella whimpered.

"I think you should go to Jacksonville, Bella." Ramon laid the idea down, gently. "It's better for your own health to stay away from Forks and have your own time to heal."

"But, Noah—" Bella tried to protest.

" _ But, Noah _ is currently talking to your dad about moving you to Jacksonville because the mere thought of the Cullens returning made you relapse into a fit of panic attacks and night terrors." Ramon cut her off. "He's moving to Korea as well, you both need time apart."

Bella's lower lip quivered, "Is that, is that why you took my rings away?"

Ramon's eyebrows raised immediately, he raised his hands in innocence. "No, no, no. We took them away to give you and Noah a well deserved break from each other's presence and feelings."

Bella frowned, "I feel...  _ bare _ , without it." she confessed.

"I'm sure Noah feels the same, Bella." Ramon comforted her with a small pat in the head. "Jin is probably coming from your house as we speak, and I'm sure you'll be fine."

Bella nodded, she felt like she was six years old again and her mother was doting her. "Thank you, for..." Bella waved her hand around, but Ramon smiled. He understood.

"No problem, Bella. You became part of this family the moment you made Noah smile genuinely whenever he heard your name."


	18. Chapter Thirteen

**chapter thirteen:** _ goodbye n go _

"I don't want to let you go." Noah's voice was muffled against Bella's neck, his long arms wrapped around her petite waist.

"I don't want you to let me go, either." she confessed back, legs around his waist and arms around his neck like a koala. "Call me or text me whenever, yeah?"

"Yeah, baby girl." Noah tightened his grip on her. "Can I, uh—" he cleared his throat a little.

"Kiss me?" Bella blurted out.

Noah smiled unconsciously, "Yeah, kiss you. I mean, we don't— we don't have to. And I'm not sure if you're ready, and I—"

Bella surged forward and pecked his lips. "Thank you, for caring."

Noah smiled dumbly, "Always." they stared at each other, "Uh, can we. Can we repeat that?"

* * *

Yoongi faked retched next to an amused Vincent while Jin and Ramon discussed lowly, between hushed whispers, where to settle Noah in Korea.

"Flight for Jacksonville, Florida." the airport speakers boomed, but by then the six males had already made sure the separating —not yet— couple were near the correct door.

"I'll miss you, like crazy." Noah started to lower her down to her feet, slowly letting go of her.

"Don't ghost me, Kim." Bella sniffed. "Or else, I'll hunt you down."

Noah cracked a wobbly smile, "For sure. Hyung, please take care of her."

Jay smiled half heartedly, "Aish, look at my dongsaeng! So grown up!"

Jay and Vincent were flying with Bella and making sure she was arriving safely to her home. They might have also bought the house next to hers.

"We should get going," Vincent piped up, eager to fly on an airplane. "Right, hyung?"

Jay rolled his eyes fondly at his partner, "Go, I'll catch up with Bella after you."

But Bella and Noah were to busy in their own world. "Here, wear it." Noah dug his hand on his back pocket of his black ripped jeans and took out a small black shiny box.

"It's beautiful, Noah." Bella breathed, the box showed a silver band and a delicate silver chain with the letter N.

"For you." Noah shrugged, "I hope you keep it, maybe wear it?"

Bella knew it was for show, the silver band glinted the same way her rings —she now wore again— did. But, the necklace?

Noah dug his free hand inside his collar and pulled, it was a replica of the silver chain. But this one had the letter B hanging innocently.

"I'll do it," Bella blurted out, "I'll wear it. I swear."

Noah smiled, "Bella, I  _ like like  _ you." He blushed as he avoided her chocolate brown eyes.

Soft pink caressed Bella's pale cheeks, but her eyes shined. "I  _ like like _ you too, Noah."

"Alright! Sorry, lovebirds." Jay broke it up, "But I need to take this pretty lady to the airplane,  _ now _ ."

Noah pecked her lips twice before Jay pulled him away and dragged Bella with her luggage and his own down the opened door. The flight assistants near the doors giggled as Bella whined in protest.

"Call me when you land!" Noah shouted. "Or not! I'll probably be in my own flight!"

"Text me!" Bella shouted back before the doors closed behind her.


	19. Chapter Fourteen

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> big ass oop-  
> we learn what's going on in forks post-leaving  
> we see our main babies connect  
> and bella spills the tea
> 
> i don't know how therapy truly works, but from what i gathered- it kinda goes more formally than what i wrote. still, if you feel the need to point something out, please comment it and i'll change it.

**chapter fourteen:** _ distance _

"What do you mean, she's not here?" Jacob Black asked Charlie, Bella's dad. The Quileute boy groaned. It has been a week since he first shifted due to his heritage, and two days since the Cullen's returned.

"She's not." Charlie shrugged, "She went back to Jacksonville with her mom. Look Jake, I know you're worried about her, yeah? But Bells needs to stay out of Forks for a while, she's... She's not stable here. And Jacksonville can give her the stability she needs."

Edward cursed, he was perched in a tree near the two males. Hidden by the branches of the tree, he could hear perfectly the conversation due to his superhuman hearing. Charlie's thoughts were hard to read, he could only hear snippets. But Black's? He could hear the shifter's thoughts clear as a day.

Bella left Forks. He didn't know what to do with this information. Of course, he wanted Bella to have a normal human life. But, not without him. Did he really think that if he returned, she would welcome him with open arms?

He quickly sped away, leaving a tired Charlie and a defeated Black on his wake.

* * *

Bella giggled as she watched through the screen of her new laptop Noah's new room in Korea.

"It's, three in the morning?" Noah's voice cracked, high pitched in surprise. "Over here."

He turned the camera to focus back on his face as he settled down on his own bed.

"Over here it's nine." Bella shifted in her bed more comfortably, "You should go to sleep, Noah."

"Yeah, but then... when will I have the chance to talk to you again?"

Bella rolled her eyes, "Don't you have school tomorrow?"

"Home school." Noah shrugged, "I know for certain that Ramon hyung will teach me. Not to say that he enjoys sleeping ever since Jin hyung managed to reverse his vampirism."

"Oh," Bella snuffed out the rising pink cheeks and bit her inner cheek to stop the smile threatening to come out. "That's, good?"

"Yeah, anyways." Noah sighed, "How's, how's Jacksonville?"

"Nice, I think." Bella looked around, "More warm than Forks, and there's the sun coming out every day."

The two teenagers muffled their laughs.

"Later on today," Bella picked on the end of her sleeveless t-shirt, "I— I'm having my first therapy session."

Noah smiled, "Good, I guess?"

Bella smiled back as she nodded shyly, "Good."

"Jay hyung is a great listener," Noah started, "And, he has a few degrees in psychology. So, don't worry. You're in good hands."

Bella sighed, "Yeah, he calmed me down while we were in the plane. I— I panicked?"

Noah frowned lightly before reaching out to touch the screen, as if he could touch Bella through it. He stopped before he truly touched it.

"I felt it through the ring, Ramon hyung took my rings before I could send you calming waves."

"Jay took my rings as well," Bella sighed, "I feel like, there's something missing when I'm not wearing them."

"You should ask Jay hyung about that when you start the session." Noah smiled at her reassuringly, "The sessions is about you speaking, and letting hyung in so that he can help you."

"Yeah."

* * *

A few hours later, Bella opened the door to Jay. He was smiling like the sun, and it comforted her for a few seconds.

"Come, come on in." Bella smiled shyly as she let him pass. "Is the— is the living room alright?"

"Yeah," Jay said calmly. "Wherever you feel the most comfortable."

_ Noah's arms _ , Bella immediately thought,  _ but, he's not here _ .

Soon, Bella sat in the couch while Jay sat in the love seat.

"Well." Jay started gently, "How are you feeling today, Bella?"

"Tired." she spoke without missing a beat. "Tired, and— maybe longing?"

Jay scribbled on a small notepad while letting Bella speak, "Longing, huh? For Noah?"

"M–maybe." Bella stared at a coffee stain imprinted on the table, "I also feel, scared?"

Jay hummed as he let Bella mull over her thoughts in silence.

"And, you don't have to tell me if you don't want to, but. Why do you think you're feeling this way?"

"I feel tired because— because of the plane ride." Bella spoke as she rearranged her thoughts. "I think I— did I panic?"

Jay pursed his lips before nodding, "Yes, but not to the level of a panic attack."

"Oh." Bella sat in silence for a few minutes. "I'm scared, Jay."

Jay sat straighter, "Yeah? Bells, it's normal to feel scared. I imagine that, —whatever you're going through, it's very scary. But, that's why I'm here. To help you."

* * *

"My mother and my father," she started after answering a few questions. "They fell in love during high school.

"They were, the  _ it _ couple. The high school sweethearts." Bella spoke fondly. Then, her expression turned pained. "It was, it was no surprise that they married right after high school. They soon had me after a few years. But, Forks is... well,  _ Forks _ . And my mother started to feel, I don't know. Maybe claustrophobic? It is a small town, and nothing ever truly changes."

Bella picked on the end of her t-shirt. "She practically blew up on Charlie, my dad. And ran away to my strict grandmother back in California. I was, three months old? When it happened. Soon enough, mom found a great job at a nearby kindergarten in Riverside. We moved to Phoenix, Florida when I was six. I used to visit Charlie a lot, but somehow mom molded my mind into hating Forks and well. When I turned fourteen, it was Charlie who came to us, not me to him.

"Mom remarried," Bella scoffed with no heat, "she remarried to a minor league softball player. Phil is, well... he's a good guy. But we truly don't connect, I guess. He travels a lot, but mom stayed behind with me. It became the main reason why they started arguing. So I decided to... To move with Charlie."

Jay hummed, "And that brought you back to Forks." he ended it.

"Yeah," Bella stuttered. "Then, then I met Edward."

"He was, enchanting." Bella frowned, "A mystery waiting to be solved. I was, too stubborn to let him go. Then I started collecting information on him. And soon, I figured it out.

"I figured out he was a vampire." she whispered, "But naively, I wanted him."


	20. Chapter Fifteen

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> things happen, sorry.

**chapter fifteen:** _ get well soon _

Bella sighed contently. It has been a month since she had arrived to Jacksonville, but she could see how staying away from Forks helped. She couldn't believe how, how  _ wrong _ she was. For staying in hopes of Edward returning. For not trying to move on. For making her father suffer more than he should. For making the most important people in her world worry and shun them away.

It has been a few days since she tried to contact Angela Webber through social media. Thankfully, the girl gladly answered to her tries and forgave her. Now they were kind of pen pals through social media. Through Angela, Bella knew every single rumor about her sudden disappearance. And she quickly dissolved them by telling her that she moved out of Forks because of her mental health, because Cullen.

It seemed that the Cullens returning made her mental health decline again and she told Angela.

The girl, unsurprisingly, confirmed that they did return. And that Edward had the gall to ask about her.

Instead of making her sad, or happy about Edward asking about her. Bella was mad. She was mad that he was so wrong in his head that he would ask about her when he was the reason why she entered into a depressive state and why her mind was so fragile.

Angela also filled her in about what was happening at Forks, and what was happening  _ around _ Forks. There were attacks happening again, in Seattle as well. And there were giant  _ wolves _ running around in the forest.

Bella immediately thought of Jacob Black, her childhood friend. Noah had told her that Forks was a magnet for supernatural entities, so it didn't surprise her that werewolves existed.

She wrote hastily to Angela too stay away from the forest and to not go outside during the night, not even if she was with someone else. Angela promised not to, but Bella still worried.

And Seattle, Bella hoped it wasn't what she thought it was. But the sudden urgency of Jay and Vincent of blessing her home and putting up wards confirmed it. It was Victoria.

Noah had demanded his hyungs to return with Bella. That he didn't care if he was at the risk of relapsing. That he  _ needed to be with Bella _ .

Bella smiled at the thought of Noah currently flying from Korea to Jacksonville. He was to land in a few hours.

Tugging unconsciously on the N hanging innocently around her neck, Bella suddenly jumped. There was a burst of energy rattling the house. Someone was trying to enter the house uninvited.

She immediately dashed to her bathroom, where she hid her magic rings. She stopped wearing them because she had to start living without depending on everyone. But now, she was in danger. So fuck Jay's strict rules of healing.

* * *

Jay jumped at the sudden burn his family ring gave. And then, his magic twisted inside him. Bella was under attack.

"What was that?" Vincent jumped as he hissed at his finger. "Was it Bella?"

"Stay, call the hyungs." Jay told him sternly, he kissed him quickly before dashing to the back door. "I'll be next door saving Noah's girl."


	21. Chapter Sixteen

**chapter sixteen:** _ feel something _

Bella sat in her living room. She heard voices, not in her head, but around her. Her rings glinted, it was the only thing she felt. The pain. Otherwise, she felt nothing. She felt  _ numb _ .

"Bella, sweetie." Christian tried to dispel the dark feeling surrounding the girl, he had created a portal and passed through it with the strict directions of checking on Bella as Jay took care of whatever was outside. "Talk to me."

Christian was worried. Bella was doing so good, she was finally healing. What if this attack caused a relapse? And, Noah was coming in a few hours with Ramon hyung and Jin hyung. He just hoped that his hyungs had taken Noah's rings or else, they'll be in trouble.

"Isabella," he tried another way, changing his voice to Noah's with magic. "Isabella, breathe. Breathe, baby girl."

It was as if a curse was lifted, and Bella suddenly inhaled sharply. She coughed, but she was reacting.

It was no surprise that she bursted into tears. But, Christian discovered that Noah was Bella's anchor. Bella had calmed down immediately when she heard Noah's voice. Noah grounded her back to Earth. Christian was glad, he was glad that the two of them grounded each other back to earth.

Bella slept after crying. She didn't wake when Jay entered after solving whatever was outside. She didn't wake when the two druids healed her mind and blessed her as much as they could without disrupting the balance within her. She didn't wake when Noah bursted in with urgency while Jin doubled the wards and Ramon spoke quietly with Jay and Christian.

But she did wake hours later, in Noah's arms. The boy was sleeping with his arms around her protectively, and she went back to sleep knowing that she was safe.

* * *

"Who was it."

"A Cullen."


	22. Chapter Seventeen

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> say the name, seventeen
> 
> okay sorry, i had to

**chapter seventeen:** _ volturi _

Master Aro's orders were clear. To go and solve the problem in Seattle.

Jane watched from the top of a building, hidden by her dark clothes and the night, as a group of newborns wrecked havoc down below in the vacant streets of Seattle.

She rolled her ruby red eyes and turned her back on the scene. 

"Pathetic." she hissed.

"Shall we inform the Masters?" Demetri drawled, making his presence known. The dark haired vampire was draped on the edge of the building. Shadows covered most of his body, but it didn't hide the glinting crimson eyes. "Or shall we wait?"

"The Master's choices are being watched." Jane replied stiffly, hissing as her eyes drew back on the newborns. "It is us, who must decide."

"We must move, Jane." Demetri stood up from the edge, gracefully avoiding a fall that would kill any mortal being. "I believe your brother and Felix are running back from their hunting."

Jane narrowed her eyes before nodding, "If we must."

The sight was worrisome if an outsider watched the two of them, a mid twenties man following a twelve year old girl. But, he was no ordinary man. And, the smaller child was no normal twelve year old. They were vampires. Sworn to protect and watch over the vampire community in the shadows.

* * *

Bella woke up. She tried to get up but something held her back down to the bed. Then, she noticed the something were two strong arms wrapped around her. Bella was about to panic, when the person behind her groaned out softly. 

"Baby girl," Noah protested, arms tightening around her. "sleep."

Bella relaxed immediately, but still pursed her lips. "I'm hungry." she announced.

Noah groaned once more before freeing her and rolling to the other side. Bella wasted no time in climbing out of the bed and go to the bathroom to do her business before entering the kitchen.

The sight of Jin moving around the kitchen, with Christian sipping on his hot chocolate on the side made her stop. "Uh, hello?"

Instantly, Jin turned around and Christian left his hot chocolate on the nearest kitchen table as the two males looked at her. "Oh, hey Isabella." Jin smiled at her blindingly as he ushered her to take a seat.

Bella moved with a wary look in her eyes. "Good morning, Jin. Good morning, Chris." she said slowly as she sat down, "Not to be rude but, what are you doing here?"

Jin hesitated. But before he could say anything, Noah walked in. "Mornin' hyungs, what's for breakfast?"

* * *

"I'm worried," Jay whispered to Vincent as they watched the news. The couple were in their house, knowing Isabella was safe with Jin and Christian. "What did Ramon hyung say?"

Vincent sighed, "He went back to Forks, last time I heard of him. With Yoongi." shifting, he placed his arms around Jay's waist. "Can't believe those assholes came to Bella's house directly, in attempts to talk to her."

"Me too." the druid frowned, "Didn't he, Edward I think? Didn't Edward tell her explicitly that he was going to disappear from her life? What is he doing, coming back to her?"

"I don't know, Jay." Vincent snuggled closer, "But I'm worried, last night gave us all a scare."

"I hope Bella doesn't relapse," Jay sighed, "I would hate it if Noah resorted to what he did with... with  _ him _ ."

Vincent just hugged his lover more closely. "We'll make sure it doesn't come to that. This time, we'll be prepared." he said firmly.

But the sudden scream from the house next to them proved that it would be harder than they thought.

* * *

Jane paced, annoyed would be the sentiment running through her dead veins.

"We should act now." Alec piped up, breaking the silence. "It's obvious the Cullens are not going to move, and we do not even know the reason behind the creation of the army."

Jane hissed, but the rational side of her hummed in agreement to her twin brother's statement.

"Master wants new crown jewels, Alexander." Demetri drawled from the loveseat he was lazily sprawled in. "I doubt he wants us to return empty handed."

At that moment, the doors of the ensuite hotel room they were resting in for the mission opened. Felix entered with an annoyed expression.

"The newborns are starting to run free, Jane." he informed, "It would be unwise to leave them be."

The girl sighed, sometimes her duty was too much for her fragile mind. "We shall act tonight."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> millie bobby brown as jane  
> timotheé chalamet as alec  
> luke baines as demetri  
> matthew daddario as felix


	23. Chapter Eighteen

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> we go and visit the good doctor  
> shit happens on the other side in jacksonville tho

**chapter eighteen:** _ back to forks _

Carlisle opened the grand glass doors of his home, Ramon was on the outside. Yoongi behind him. The avid eyes of the doctor catched the glinting rings, and noticed the hidden power residing within them.

"Thank you," Carlisle moved aside, letting them enter. "For coming."

"It's no problem," dimples appeared next to the corners of Ramon's smile as he stretched his hand for a shake, "Anything to help and keep the mortals safe."

The figure of a bronze haired, brooding teenage male appeared. And Yoongi immediately narrowed his eyes at him when he felt someone trying to invade his mind, his ring glinted protectively. "Not to sound offensive, Doctor. But tell your...  _ son _ to stop. I don't appreciate strangers in my head. Neither does Ramon."

Edward halted, he never met someone that could block him. Not since, not since  _ Bella _ .

Carlisle dropped Ramon's hand after shaking it lightly, and turned to look at Edward. They shared eye contact, before Edward disappeared down the hall.

"Excuse him, he can't control his gift sometimes." Carlisle offered an apologetic smile as he gestured his guests to follow him. "How have you been, Ramon? You look,  _ human. _ "

The Doctor looked slightly taken aback, but welcoming nonetheless.

"That might be because of my husband." Ramon smiled, "He's a witch, a very skilled one."

* * *

Jay springed out of the comfort his lover gave him and ran directly to the back door, Vincent following him.

"I can't believe—" he muttered. "What happened?"

It seemed as if Jin had sensed his druid magic and was already in the door, waiting for them.

"What happened?" Jay pushed pass as he neared the kitchen, where Christian was already trying to dispel the bad aura surrounding Bella. "Oh, for the  _ Gods _ ."

Noah was nowhere to be seen, but Jay saw in the corner of his eye how Jin guided Vincent upstairs. He must be terrified.

"Bella, Bella." the two druids tried to gain her attention as she heaved, gasped, and clutched their hands roughly. "Listen to me,  _ breathe _ ."

* * *

When Vincent appeared on the door, in Bella's room, Noah could only throw himself in his welcoming arms as he sobbed. "It hurts, hyung. I can't do anything."

"Yes you can, Noah." Vincent dragged the two of them to the bed and hugged him close. "What you can do is to be there for her after the hyungs calm her down. Bring her water and take care of her, just like you have been doing for the past six or seven months."

Noah just cried as his hyung rocked them back and forth.

* * *

"A witch?" Carlisle blinked, surprised. Ramon laughed as Yoongi cracked a small, gentle, smile.

"Yes," Ramon nodded, "Jin and I met back when you were forming your own coven. But did not try and revert my vampirism until a few years ago. Although I'm not fully human, I can do  _ humane things _ that my vampire body didn't allow me." they ascended through the white stairs leading to a fancy living room. "But we did not come here to converse about my beloved and I, we're here about Bella Swan. And Seattle."

"Of course." Carlisle muttered softly, golden eyes shining with something akin to sadness. "Bella Swan."

* * *

"Bella, Bella." Christian spoke, "Sweetie, focus on my voice." he tried as Jay yelled, "Someone get Noah!"

"She's not breathing!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> so, the reason why noah left bella is cause shit's rough for him too okay?  
> the last time he saw his one true love like that he ended up breaking himself way too much to keep them "breathing", that's why jin, jay, and christian separated them.
> 
> the bonds between the boys and bella aren't fully developed here because the chapters are short, but in the sequel we will see why, how, and more explanations.


	24. Chapter Nineteen

**chapter nineteen:** _ riley biers _

_ April 15, 2005 _

A young boy exhaled, vivid brown eyes shining as he watched his classmates celebrate another passing year. He ran his fingers through his pale, blonde hair and he held with his other hand a red solo cup.

"Riles!" someone called him from his right, his best friend. Dean Matthews, a tall boy with black hair and olive toned skin. "C'mon dude, mom is going to kill me if I don't come home tonight."

"We just passed college freshman year, and you're worried about your mom?" Riley held back a laugh, nevertheless, he moved towards the exit with his friend. "C'mon, I'll drive you there."

"Thanks, man." Dean flashed him a beaming smile as they both left the college frat party. "Did I tell you how much I love Sheila?" his best friend started babbling about his girlfriend as Riley shaked his head.

"Man, you got it bad." Riley smiled gently, "Are you going to pop the ring out?" he said jokingly.

But Dean stopped walking and faced him, "All joking aside, I truly feel like she's the one." Riley stopped too and quirked his eyebrow, "So, I mayhaps went ring shopping with my mom."

"Wait, really?" Riley smiled blindingly, "I'm so happy for you!"

"Yeah?" Dean hesitated, "Don't you think I'm rushing it?"

"No, no." Riley quickly shot his best friend hesitations and doubts down, "Dude, you should see how she looks at you."

"Besides," he continued as he unlocked the doors to his car, "You guys have been dating since high school. And if you have doubts, put a ring on it but wait a few months for the wedding."

Dean flashed him another smile, "Man, what would I do without you."

"Die." Riley joked as they climbed into the car. "In all seriousness, you know that I love you. Right, bro?"

"Bro." Dean fist bumped Riley's shoulder from the passenger seat. "Love you, too."

* * *

_ June 10, 2006 _

Riley struggled to hold back the urge to save Diego from Victoria. He closed his eyes and tried to block out his cries and screams and begging to save him.

_ Victoria, you love Victoria _ . The voices in Riley's head chanted. _ You have to choose Victoria over and over again _ .

_But, Dean_. A smaller voice fought against the others, _he looks_ just like _Dean_.

"Enough." his voice wobbled, but he tried to fight it. "Victoria, enough."

Victoria narrowed her cat like eyes and turned to look at Riley from the dismembered limb of Diego's aching body. "What?"

"The newborns know him, what do you think his disappearance would cause?" _ Let him go, please let him go. _ "They will think he managed to run away and many will try to leave."

Victoria narrowed her eyes as she pondered it. Riley  _ was _ right, but this one knew the secret they had tried to keep from the others.

"What should we do then, honey?" she changed of tactic, Riley was important. Her precious tool, and she didn't want him to panic and leave her.

"Let him live, but during the battle, kill him." Riley proposed, "The idea of him disappearing won't be too alarming when the others are distracted by the Cullen's pet."

Victoria snarled, but let the limb fall to the floor. "Piece him back together, we leave at twilight."

Riley held back the urge to sigh in relief as he quickly pieced Diego together and threw a nameless human that was walking in the wrong moment his way.

* * *

_ June 14, 2006 _

"Get out of here," Riley whispered to Diego, minding the others' perceptive hearing. "We're moving tonight."

Diego's red eyes glinted sadly, knowing Riley's fate. "Thank you, brother."

Riley whipped his head around and flashed him a small smile. "Go."

Bree watched nervously as Diego grabbed her. The two of them ran. Hopefully, they will reach Vancouver and meet Fred.

* * *

_ June 15, 2006 _

Riley watched with bated breath as Victoria and Edward Cullen fought. Then, his eyes traveled to Bella Swan. But the glinting rings on her hand warned him not to attack her. That, and the strong presence of a broad shouldered man with dark matter coming from his hands.

"Riley!" Victoria called, "Riley!"

But Riley didn't move. He loved her, he really did. But she nearly killed Diego. 

And she killed  _ Dean _ .

So, he moved towards them. But, he shared a look with Edward Cullen, knowing he could read his mind. And Victoria didn't even have time to scream for help when Riley's newborn strength aid him to wrap his hands around her neck and behead her.

"That's for Dean." he said softly.

Then, he fell to the ground. Exhausted. 


	25. Chapter Twenty

**chapter twenty:** _ breathin' _

"She's not breathing!" Jay yelled as the sound of steps coming from upstairs alerted them.

"Bella, Bella. Focus on my voice." Christian's voice broke a little as he held her forearms and try to dispel the bad feelings as much as he could.

"Isabella!" Noah called, "Baby girl, I'm here."

He pushed Christian aside, as gently as he could, and grasped Bella's hands. The feeling of his warm rings and cold fingers sent thrills through her arms, as she tried to hear his words.

"Isabella, breathe." he urged her as he moved her face to see eye to eye. Chocolate brown met dark ones as Bella gasped for air. "That's it, baby girl. That's it, just like that."

Christian and Jay sighed in relief as they watched her struggle for air. At least she was taking in some air.

They left them like that, Bella and Noah sitting in the kitchen, as they moved to the living room where a pacing Jin was speaking in hushed tones into a phone.

'Ramon.' The male witch mouthed as soon as he saw them as he hummed to the phone.

"Back to Forks?" Jin tittered like a worried mother, "Isabella is unstable right now, she just relapsed when we told her the sudden visit of a Cullen."

* * *

Everyone in the Cullen house suddenly looked at Edward.  _ Really? _

"A sudden visit?" Ramon questioned, "Was that the warning our rings gave us? About someone trying to enter our wards?"

"Yes." Jin answered, his voice being heard perfectly in a house filled with vampires. "I don't think it's wise to bring Isabella now, no one can calm her down and Noah can't go back to Forks high school right after leaving. That would lead to some suspicions."

"What about the day of the attack?" Alice perked up, Ramon relied the words as she spoke, "What if she comes back the day before the attack and is there to lure Victoria in?"

Jasper shifted, "I don't know if it would work. There's too much at stake."

"Jin?" Ramon spoke to the phone, but it was Jay who answered.

"Even so, the mere thought of seeing the Cullens again would sent her into another fit of panic." the druid smoothly replied. "Not to say, that I won't risk Noah's safety knowing that he would undoubtedly sacrifice himself to spare the girl's life."

There was a shift in between the Cullens as they regarded Edward.

"Who is this, Noah?" Carlisle spoke gently, placing a warning hand on Edward's shoulder.

"My younger brother for all purposes, and Bella's beau." Ramon softly answered. "He was there when Bella fell into a depression and helped her get better."

Edward clenched his jaw. But Ramon leveled him with a stern glare. "You have no right to act like this, when it was  _ you _ who left her in pieces for my family to pick up and mend."

Jasper watched warily as he sent calming waves through the whole house. They didn't reach Ramon or Yoongi, as if there was a protective barrier that made them untouchable.

Edward exhaled as he turned swiftly and left the room.

Alice watched worriedly, then, she gasped as a sudden vision hit her.

It was Bella in a white dress, but the groom besides her wasn't Edward like she pictured a year ago.

It was Noah.


	26. End of Act Two

_\- end of act two -_

_ in which they broke to mend each other _

_ \- end of act two - _


	27. Interlude

**interlude:** _ the newborn army _

"So, you're the guy that caused my girl fall into a deep depression that could've potentially killed her?" Noah deadpanned as soon as he crossed the portal and stepped foot on the Cullen's house.

Jin and Ramon could be heard sighing as Christian and Jay suppressed a smile.

Edward blinked unnecessarily at the sight of doe eyes hardening at his presence.

"You're the guy who saved her?" he retorted, knuckles tightening and jaw clenching.

"Yes," Noah lifted his chin, "I am."

Edward tried to read Noah's mind, but he came blank. Just like Yoongi a few days ago, it seemed that the rings were enchanted to make him immune to the vampire's gifts.

"Now, now, boys." Jin gathered as he came to view, "Isabella is about to cross the portal, I want you two to behave. Got it?"

Noah shrugged as he ran his ringed fingers through his hair while shoving his other hand on his sweatpants' pocket. "Sure, hyung."

Edward grew more aggravated at the thought of seeing Bella, and didn't say a word as he turned swiftly and left the room. Besides, he wasn't supposed to be there unless Bella was ready to see him, and he knows his limits.

* * *

Bella warily crossed the portal, but as soon as she stood on her two feet and raised her eyes, she was met with Noah's laid back pose and eyes that reflected hidden emotions she felt pulsing through their rings.

And she was fine, because Noah was there.

The teenage girl didn't hesitate to walk towards Noah and stand by his side, while Noah unconsciously moved his free hand to wrap it around Bella's waist lightly.

"Hey," she whispered.

"Baby girl." he greeted.

* * *

Soon they were being led to a clearing where Ramon and Jay hyung explained Bella what was truly happening. Thankfully, Noah calmed her down before she entered into another panic attack. But still, the three males still worried over the fragile state of mind of the girl.

"After you end your scent here, I will conjure a portal for you where you, and Noah will stay far away from the fight." Jin quickly cut in after Ramon explained a few strategies he had been discussing with Jasper. "No doubt that Victoria will try and find you, so I'll be with you two while the fight goes on."

"And the Cullens?" Bella asked after a moment of hesitation, "Are they fighting?"

"For all I know, yes." Jin nodded briefly, "Edward did ask to be with you when the fight happens, but that is all up to you."

Bella inhaled sharply, a spike of pain came from the deep ache the immortal boy caused on her heart. As if Noah felt the same, he held her close while she mulled over her thoughts.

"I deserve closure." she said after three beats of silence. "He can come, but I want to clear things between us."

Noah clenched his jaw, "Are you sure, baby girl? I don't want him to hurt you." he said lowly.

Bella's lips tugged at the corners as she felt Noah's troubled emotions through the rings.

"I'm sure."

* * *

Edward's lungs exhaled the unnecessary air he breathed as he neared the clearing where Bella, and Noah where.

"You wanted to talk to me?" he made his presence known, fingers twitching barely at the sight of Bella tensing on another man's arms.

She turned around, and Edward tensed when her chocolate brown eyes he fell in love with shined with a different light when they laid on him.

"Edward."

* * *

Noah whistled to himself as he laid on the other side of the clearing while writing some ideas down on his lyric notebook. On the other side of the clearing, he heard soft voices speaking.

Noah sighed to himself when he wrote the last word of the song he just composed.

Euphoria. Another song about Isabella Swan. He sighed, aggravated.

Noah hated to admit this, but he was a needy person. And right now, he wanted Bella's attention.

_ You need to give her space _ , he thought to himself as he gently laid his eyes on the girl who looked like she was stuttering over her words,  _ when the time is right, she'll come to you _ .

Noah sighed once more as he propped his head on his arm, and closed his eyes.


	28. Act Three

_\- act three -_

_in which their worlds become one_

_\- act three -_


	29. Chapter Twenty-One

**chapter twenty - one:** _ aftermath _

Noah paced nervously in the Cullen's house. Bella had practically forced him through the portal a few minutes before the battle started.

Now he was driving poor Seth Clearwater crazy with his incessant pacing through the whole house.

"Noah?" the younger male spoke up hesitantly, making Noah turn his head back that made poor Seth fear that the older boy got whiplash. "Could you sit down? All this pacing is hurting my eyes."

Noah cleared his throat and nodded. Seth watched warily as Noah sat down next to him, and immediately cringed at the way the expensive couch moved at the pace of Noah's leg.

Noah stopped paying attention to the younger boy besides him as he let his nervousness show through his moving leg.

And then, a howl could be heard loud and clear.

"Leah." Seth whispered, and he was gone. Noah's breath caught as the younger boy practically threw himself outside and immediately shifted. Most likely, to run towards his older sister.

Noah whipped around again when the familiar pull on his rings alerted him of his hyung creating a portal near him.

The teenager dashed to the main living room and watched as blinding gold energy appeared out of thin air. Out of the growing time and space bend, Bella came.

She didn't waste any time in throwing herself into his arms as the two of them watched how a few of the wolves disappeared into the woods through the portal.

Then, his hyungs crossed it again. Well, all of them save Ramon and Vincent hyung.

Something about Ramon knowing the Volturi, and Vincent hyung being in Jacksonville still.

"Are you okay?" Noah asked, but his attention diverted again, when through the portal came another boy.

This one was inhumanely pale with chiseled features. But what really caught his attention, was the blank, red eyes that hauntingly reminded him of his past lover.

Jin closed the portal.


	30. Chapter Twenty-Two

**chapter twenty-two:** _ past, present, and future _

Riley let his knees give away as Victoria's head rolled off on the snow. He was done. Done with her lies, with her fake love, with everything.

He felt numb, and barely paid any attention to the other vampire that was reaching for his neck.

"Edward, no! Stop!" Bella stopped the mind reader before he killed Riley as Jin quickly walked towards the fallen vampire.

"He is mentally exhausted," Jin tutted as he checked over the numb vampire. "Also, he shows signs of mental abuse. No doubt that horrible excuse of a woman physically abused him too."

Edward stopped then, and let himself get a good read on Riley.

* * *

Soon, the four of them found themselves on the clearing, where the fight has ended.

Riley refused to look up as the rest of the Cullens regarded him. Some with pity in their eyes.

"His name is Riley," Edward quickly explained what happened. "He killed Victoria."

Then, the wolves appeared as well. And something told Riley to look upwards.

Crimson red clashed against sky blue, and the vampire fell on his knees before the she-wolf.

Leah's wolf eyes widened as she lowered herself to the ground. Flashes of what her life may be alongside a vampire no less, going rapidly through her mind.

She didn't hesitate to run, howling as she did. And Riley felt as if the last of his remaining humanity, followed her.

The rest didn't waste more time, creating a portal and dragging Riley through it.

The Volturi were coming, and no doubt that they would kill Riley if they ever saw him alive.


	31. Chapter Twenty-Three

**chapter twenty-three:** _ imprints _

Leah was running. Not only was Jacob injured during the battle, but she had found her imprint.

_ In a leech out of the seven billion people in the world _ .

The she-wolf growled lowly to herself, she had to get out of there.

She heard Sam snarl at her as the rest of the boys left her mind, they had to leave the clearing anyway.

She howled to the sun, because the moon let her down.

_ Leah! _ The panicked voice of her younger brother through the pack bond made Leah whimper.

What was going to happen now? She was fated to her worst enemy.

After shifting back to her human form, and pulling onto her spare clothes, Leah ran to the Black household. Seth did not waste any second to follow her.

Sam Uley, the Alpha of the pack, had given strict orders to go directly to Jacob's house right before shifting to his human form.

The girl flinched at the sound of Jacob's screams. She felt like it was her fault. It should be her, not Jacob, the one who should be writhing in pain.

"Leah?" Seth placed a hesitant hand on his sister's shoulder, "Can you tell me what happened?"

Brown eyes met dark orbs hidden by unshed tears, "I found him." she said simply.

It didn't take long to understand, but unlike her horrible train of thought thinked, Seth hugged his sister.

"I'm here, sis." Seth muttered as he hugged his sister close, "I'm not going anywhere."

Minutes later, the good doctor arrived and mended Jacob's broken body. But no other vampire or outsider came.


	32. Chapter Twenty-Four

**chapter twenty-four:** _ past _

"Poor Leah," Bella whispered as Noah snuggled closer to her. "A vampire with a she-wolf, is that possible?"

Noah mused, "Perhaps yes, but Jin and Ramon hyung are already talking to Riley about reversing his immortality."

The two of them laid in silence on Bella's bed in the Swan residence.

"What is going to happen now?" she whispered after a few minutes of comfortable silence.

"Whatever you want, Isabella." Noah replied, "Victoria was the last string that connected you to the Cullens, and she's gone. What do  _ you _ want now?"

Bella sighed, "Before, I wanted to be a literature teacher. But now," she trailed off, "now that sounds too mundane for me."

"We could travel the world," Noah suggested, "I heard that Brazil around this time of the year is beautiful. There are festives and many of my hyungs and I's friends congregate there."

"Travel the world, huh?" Bella grinned, Noah thought she was beautiful smiling. "Sounds nice. Are there more supernatural beings in the world?"

"Well," Noah shifted, wrapping his arms around Bella, "yeah. They move in covens, like the Cullens. The coven Nigrum Rosea is lead by the head witch, Jennie. The you have her mate, Lisa, and her other magic sisters. Jin is the grandson of Jennie."

Bella's eyes widened in amazement.

"That's how Jin met Ramon hyung, by the way. During the summer solstice, under the Brazil sun." Noah's eyes shined with a familiar glint they held whenever he spoke of his hyungs, "It wasn't until Jin was nearly killed by a nomad that Ramon realized, they were mates."

"And Jay, Yoongi, Christian, and Vincent?" Bella peered at her... boyfriend? Friend?

"Jay and Chris come from the same creator but during different intervals, they broke apart from their coven to create their own. Ramon and Yoongi hyung were always together." Noah spoke, "And Vincent came in the picture a few years before I did."

Noah's eyes trailed over Bella's soft features as he spoke softly, "They are part of my whole world."

"Part?" Bella questioned, "Not whole?"

"It's not whole without you, Isabella."


	33. Chapter Twenty-Five

**chapter twenty five:** _ bye bye forks _

Bella was happy. She had finished high school, and Noah was by her side. Now, they were going to travel the world together. With Noah's hyungs, too.

"Baby girl," Noah called, "where did you put our passports?"

Pacing through Noah's bedroom, everything was in boxes or inside suitcases.

"I thought you had them?" Bella questioned back. The girl brushed her hair back with a careless hand and moved towards the opened door.

They were  _ last minute _ organizing their things before they had to take the first plane the next morning.

"Jin!" Bella called on the male witch, opting for a safer option rather than the hazard her not-friend-but-most-likely-lover was. "Could you please find Noah's and mine's passports?"

The response was two floating passports that came from below the dirty clothes pile Noah discarded two days ago.

Noah winced sheepishly under Bella's scathing glare. They really had to clean up, everything.

"I have to go home, say goodbye to Charlie before we go." Bella said after a long hour of cleaning up. "I think he's worried about me."

"Bella," Noah nudged her to the side teasingly, "You're a magnet to danger and trouble, of course he's going to be worried about his only daughter."

She rolled her eyes at him before giggling. "Are you excited for tomorrow?"

"Are you kidding? Of course I am! You're gonna  _ love _ Rio, baby girl, and do not get me started on Greece." Noah's eyes shined at the thought of Bella traveling the world beside him and his hyungs. "And I can't wait for you to meet my hyung's and mine's other friends."

Bella sighed contently as she practically melted in Noah's embrace, she was home. Finally.


	34. Chapter Twenty-Six

**chapter twenty-six:** _ the world _

Leaving Forks behind while holding hands with Noah, surrounded by people she considered family, and the burning sensation of bonds grounding her to Earth by the magic rings Noah had gifted her a year ago. 

Bella Swan felt like she could face anything.

_ "Bye, Dad." Bella's farwell was muffled against Charlie's shoulder, "I'll miss you. Promise to call you when we land." _

She wiped a stray tear from her cheek, this was not the time for sad tears.

"Are you ready?" one of them asked her gently, "We could turn the car around right now if you don't want to, Bella."

"No, we can't." another muttered with an eye roll, and yet, Bella felt the encouraging emotions he sent towards her through the rings that connected them.

"No, I'm okay. I can do this." Bella steeled herself, "I'm ready to see the world with my own eyes."

Crazy how the world works, one second you believe you have met your soulmate. To have yourself be proved wrong time after time, until the least expected person clicks with you.


	35. Mid-Interlude: The Tale of the Scorned She-wolf and the Undead Vampire

**mid-interlude:** _ the tale of the scorned she-wolf and the undead vampire _

He wasn't human.

Not fully, they said, but human enough to be able to look like one, act like one, live like one.

Riley thought that he should be dead. He deserved it, did he not? He was a monster, wasn't he?

The process of undoing Victoria's venom was painful. It was supposed to be painful, but Riley was far too numb to allow his brain to function and process the pain.

It worried Carlisle, the good doctor, and Ramon, the survivor.

Why did they save him? Why was he alive? Or, well, Riley supposed that there were worst ways of living. Or undying.

"Hello? Are you listening to me?" someone snapped their fingers in front of his face, "I can't believe this, why am I wasting my time on you?"

Riley tilted his head at the voice. It sent tingles all over his numb body, and made him want to listen to it more.

"At least you don't have red eyes anymore," Leah mused to herself, she was sitting next to the numb boy. "Well, if you're not responding. I'm leaving."

Immediately, a hand gripped her wrist. Riley's brown eyes gazed at her intently as a frown appeared visibly in between his eyebrows, his mouth set in a tight, straight line.

"Don't go, stay." it sounded like an order, but Leah could read in between the lines of Riley's words. 

He was pleading her to stay with him, to not leave him alone. And her inner wolf howled in ecstacy, their imprint needed them.

Leah scoffed, and yet, she let herself be lowered next to Riley. The former vampire relaxing visibly the moment Leah fully sat down.

"I'm sorry." Riley whispered after a few seconds of silence, their eyes never breaking apart.

"For what?" Leah asked.

"You're fated to a monster, Leah." Riley broke their eye contact, and Leah found herself missing the reddish brown eyes of her imprint. "I can't give you what you want."

"You," Leah stuttered for a second, and she wasn't 24 then, she was 18 and Sam was breaking up with her all over again. "You are not allowed to do this to me, Riley. You said it yourself, we're fated to each other. Don't fight it."

"You aren't denying it!" Riley exploded, he stood up and in less than a second, he was on the other side of the clearing they were hanging out. "You aren't denying that I'm a monster! How could you want to be with a monster like me?!"

"Because I'm a monster too!" Leah cried out, face flushed red in anger. "You don't get to tell me on this when we're both monsters!"

Stalking towards him, Leah glared at Riley. "You're my imprint, Riley. Whether you're a monster or not, it doesn't change our fate."

He swallowed the lump lodged in his throat, and looked away. He liked it, the way his name rolled off easily down her tongue. He couldn't bare the vision his mate was when she was mad. Else, he'd do something she'll regret.

"Face me, you coward!" Leah screamed at him, five feet apart. "Tell me you're here for me, like I am here for you!"

"I can't," Riley muttered, "else, we'll both do something we'll regret."

Leah inhaled sharply. "You don't get to decide on what I'll regret later on, Riley. Only I can."

Seeing that Riley wasn't moving, Leah scoffed.

"When you're ready to face the music, come and find me. Imprint or not, I won't allow you to drag me down." Leah sniffed, she turned around and blinked the tears away as she walked out of the clearing.

"You said you'll be here for me!" Riley yelled at her retreating back, "So, why are you leaving me!"

"I'm leaving because you won't move!" Leah whipped around and faced him head on. "You won't move, you won't say  _ anything _ ! God, Riley! I'm in love with you, and you won't do _ anything _ about it!"

So he did.

Cold lips to the touch crashed against her warm ones, and it was as if the world around them disappeared. They melted into each other, and maybe being in love with a monster wasn't as bad as they thought.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> okay, before y'all come at me  
> cannonly, leah was born in 1986 - that means that around breaking dawn (which is like in 2010) she is 24  
> and riley was born in 1986 as well so, that means that, they are the same age!  
> he was bitten in 2005, so, when he was 19.  
> all in all, he's legal y'all


	36. Chapter Twenty-Seven

**chapter twenty-seven:** _ arrangements _

Life with the Clearwaters was strange for Riley. Specially with the people in the Rez, and how they acted around him. It was as if there was a plague in the Rez, and he was the plague.

It bothered him, he was no longer a vampire, they could relax. And yet, he understood. They were conservative and held tightly onto their beliefs.

He would often sneak out and go to patrol with his mate, Leah. Much preferred than staying inside the Clearwater's small house, he felt like he was suffocating within the four walls.

* * *

"Riley," Leah whispered excitedly, they were watching a fawn and their mother drink from a pond in the middle of the forest. "Look, aren't they majestic?"

He smiled softly, then. 

"Yes, they are." he murmured, and yet, when Leah tilted her head his way, the woman felt the eyes of her imprint.

"I can't do this, Leah." Riley sighed, letting his back fall onto the tree's trunk.

"Can't do what?" Leah snapped, immediately on defense.

"Stay in La Push." Riley let his eyes wander.

"La Push? Is that it?"

"Listen, I... I don't  _ belong _ here, Leah."

The she-wolf blinked, "Sure you do, Riley. You belong with me."

Riley sighed harder, "You know I love you, and that I would do anything to keep you happy and safe. Right?"

Leah frowned, but nodded.

"Leah, I don't feel happy where I am right now." Riley exhaled in relief after saying it. "These past months were, amazing. And I'm crazy for you."

"But," Leah glared at him accusingly, egging him to continue.

"But, I had a life before all this supernatural shit happened!" Riley exploded, "I had friends, family, and a future career before me!"

Leah stayed silent. Riley looked down to the ground in slight regret.

"And now, I don't even know if they are alive, dead. If they are okay, or sad. How did they take my disappearance, do they think I'm dead, or worse, that someone human trafficked me." Riley ran his hands through his hair. "I don't know if I can ever go back and pull my life back together. I have nothing, Leah, nothing on my name! Riley Biers is dead!"

"Babe, calm down." Leah sighed as she approached him, "You have me, isn't that enough?"

"The horrible thing of being human again, Leah, is that everything is not enough for me anymore." Riley looked at Leah, and the she-wolf held back a whimper. "I can't even look at myself in the mirror, part of me wishes that I perished during the battle. Then you wouldn't be stuck with an imprint like me."

"Riley, no."

"I can't stay here, Leah. It's too much." Riley sighed, "But, where would I go?"

Leah stayed silent, but she had an idea.

"The Cullens."


	37. Chapter Twenty-Eight

**chapter twenty-eight:** _ knocking on the devil's door _

Knocking on your natural enemies' house felt weird, even for a strong woman like Leah.

Immediately, Carlisle reached the door with a charming smile and compassionate eyes.

"Leah, Riley. What a pleasant surprise." the good doctor murmured with a glint in his eye that left Riley speechless. "Please, come on in."

The house was stunning, but too modern and rich for either of the newcomers. Leah and Riley had shared a look when they both entered and saw the posh interior.

The estranged couple was greeted immediately by an over hyperactive Alice, a calm Jasper, and a motherly smiling Esme.

Neither Rosalie, Emmett, nor Edward were present.

"Rosalie and Emmett went to their seventh honeymoon while Edward took off to travel the world on his own." Esme spoke when she saw the wandering, confused eyes of Leah.

The she-wolf growled to herself silently.

"I need your help," Riley spoke after a few beats of silence, and Carlisle and Esme shared the parent look. That look where parents communicate silently and chose to agree or disagree in mere seconds.

"What can we do to help?"


	38. Chapter Twenty-Nine

**chapter twenty-nine:** _ salvation _

_ somewhere in magical brasil... _

"Come on, baby girl." Noah laughed as he wrapped an arm around Bella's waist, hoisting her up onto his shoulder, "The water isn't  _ that _ cold."

"Noah!" Bella screeched, holding onto her  _ boyfriend _ _'s_ shoulders. "Noah, fucking damn it! Put. Me. Down!"

Noah ducked his head away from his girlfriend's kicking legs as he whistled, walking towards the splashing, smooth waves of the ocean. Moonlight coated the navy waves with strands of silver as the two half nude teenagers entered the ocean.

"Fuck you, Kim!" Bella splashed salt water towards Noah, "My hair! It's completely ruined!"

Noah laughed, carefree. Soon enough, they both entered into a heated splash war.

Bella won. Cackles coming from the other six men only caused Noah's cheeks to burn red as Bella laughed in delight.

* * *

"For fucks sake, Kim." Bella cussed as her teeth tattered slightly, five minutes later. "Skinny dipping in the dark, are you crazy?"

Wrapping herself with the towel Jin had given her beforehand, the brunette rolled her eyes at the shit-eating grin her boyfriend sent her way.

"Oh, baby girl." Noah pressed his lips in order to contain his laughter, pulling the girl close. "Don't deny it, you loved it."

It was three a.m. in the morning, and the gang had been dining outside when Vincent proposed to go on a walk through the beach.

Nevertheless to say, it ended with a splash of unwanted water and many memories.

"We should get going," Ramon said after checking everyone was dry and ready to go. "witchy hour is about to clock, and I bet Noah doesn't want Bella to miss it."

"Witchy hour?"

"This is a land of magic, Isabella." Noah kissed Bella's nose before hugging her close, "I promised you to show you everything, didn't I?"

* * *

As soon as they entered the inn they were staying at, Bella's eyes shined as the place was filled with flying balls of light. There were floating objects and books scattered around the place.

Bella felt like she had entered Hogwarts.

"Cool, huh?" Noah whispered in her ear, "When the moon shines directly onto the red rock on top of the roof, all witches gain a boost of power. Thus, naming this hour, the witchy hour."

"What are you telling the poor girl, Noah?" a strong voice made the two teens break away from their lovesick ministrations.

"Supreme Jennie!" Noah smiled, shooting his famous bunny grin. "Bella, this is Kim Jennie. Formally known as the Supreme Coven Leader of the Salem Witches."

"Oh," Bella stuttered for a second, "an honor to meet you."

Jennie regarded the human girl for a second, before breaking into a gentle smile. "Pleasure is all mine, dearest  _ Bella _ ."

Noah narrowed his eyes for a second, before stepping in.

"Back off, Jen." Noah pushed Bella gently behind his back, breaking the unwavering stare off between both girls. "She's  _ my _ girl."

The witch laughed, "Of course, where are my manners? My apologies, dearest.

"I couldn't help it, she's exquisite." Jennie continued, "My congratulations, Noah. She'll make a fine mate for you."

Both of their cheeks reddened, Bella ducking her face out of vision while Noah kept his head up high.

"Well, I didn't choose her. She chose me." 

"Lovesick puppies!" Jay called on them, "It's time to head back and get some sleep."

* * *

"And to think Jin was the parental figure," Bella sighed as soon as they closed the door of their room, "I swear, all your hyungs treat you like a spoiled child."

"What?" Noah questioned, holding back a laugh.

"Jay  _ ushered _ us upstairs!" Bella dramatized, throwing her hands in a mimic fashion. "He reminded me of a mother hen!"

Laughing until he fell on top of the bed, Noah swore his eyes let some tears flow.

"God, Isabella." Noah wheezed, "I love you."


	39. End of Act Three

_\- end of act three -_

_in which their worlds are one_

_\- end of act three -_


	40. Epilogue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> and we are closing this arc, whew! what a ride!

**epilogue:** _five years later..._

It has been five years since Bella had met Noah.

Four years since she left Forks to travel the world with her new coven.

Three years and a half since she started dating Noah and finally settled down to get her Master of Literature.

And through out all those years, she finally got it.

Life was meant to be lived. Whether it was as a human, or as a supernatural entity.

* * *

"Honey," Noah called, "I'm home!"

Bella looked up from her book, "In the living room, babe."

A twenty-four year old Noah came into vision, suspiciously carrying a box with a red bow on top of it.

"I didn't realize it was Christmas yet." she said flatly, it was mid-june.

"Well," Noah shrugged with a smile, "in the North Pole, it's always Christmas."

They were in Spain.

Bella rolled her eyes, "Sure, babe."

"It is!" Noah exclaimed, "Anyways, this is an apology gift."

"What did you do?" Bella narrowed her eyes suspiciously at the box.

"The real question is, what did I not do?"

"That's not even-" Bella sighed, "Whatever, give me."

She gestured for the box.

"I hope you like it," Noah said awkwardly as he watched her unravel the red strings and bow off the box.

"Oh, I'm sure I will," Bella muttered to herself, but when she opened the box, there was another box inside. "oh no."

"Oh yes!" Noah said under his breath.

"Oh no!" Bella moaned to herself as she opened the box inside the box, only to find another one. "How many?"

"Eight." Noah smiled, "One for each member of our family."

It was plane tickets. To Phoenix.

"Oh my God." Bella choked. "We're going to Forks?"

"Happy early Anniversary, baby girl." Noah smiled, satisfied with Christian's choice of gift (not that Bella had to know about that).

"We're going back to the start." he shrugged, stuffing his hands on his pockets.

Unbeknownst to her, Noah brushed his fingers against a hidden ring in his pocket.

Was that wedding bells his ears were hearing?

"I love you."

"And, I love  _ you _ ."


	41. Farwell

**[** _last words written in the skies_ **]**

**oh my god guys**

**it's done _!_**

**breathin' is finished _!_**

**_BIG THANK YOU_ **

**_TO MY READERS !_ **

**_I LOVE YOU, GUYS_ **

**_ HEADCANNONS NOT MENTIONED IN THE STORY CAUSE IT WASN'T RELEVANT FOR THE PLOT _ **

**1.** in the end, Riley ends up joining the Cullens and Leah joins him. Later on they break off to go solo as a couple around the world. ( like Noah and Bella )

**2.** Jacob (not Black) and Vincent first time meeting was a total disaster.

( rush hour. coffee stains. ruined shirts. "i'll pay you back" turned to "let's date" trope )

**3.** Bella and Noah got married when they were both twenty-five

( their honeymoon was at a cosy cabin in the middle of magical nowhere, it was also crashed on the second week by the rest of the coven cause ohana )

**4.** Bella never heard of Edward again ( directly ). Noah did keep in contact with Carlisle due to Ramon's alliance with the patriarch of the Olympic coven, but other than that, no interfering whatsoever.

**5.** Jacob Black ( who only had one cameo on this ff, sorry 'bout that Team Black stans ) found his imprint on a gentle girl named Elizabeth, the irony of it was that she was one of the sisters of Nahuel, therefore, a hybrid.

**6.** the Volturi remained oblivious to Bella's existence.

**7.** if it wasn't clear, they ( as in the whole seven boys and Bella ) moved in together when Bella decided to go to Uni. UK ( i googled masters in literature and the UK has some potential ones so... )

**8.** their first and only child is a girl, Evangelina Reneé Kim Swan.

( they were twenty-seven and _oh my god, bella. we're pregnant !_ )

( _you guys  act as if you're carrying this child ! _)

( _might as well be !_ )

_ **and eternity never felt more blissful in their small forever.** _


End file.
